Beast Wars: Basic Program
by Black Widow3
Summary: A valley of pure energon is the source of power and problems for the Maximals and Predicons. Up-coming battle sequence has raised ratings bar. Contains elements of author's own Pre- and Post-Beast Wars Cybertron. Please no flames, but do review
1. Chapter 1: At the Break of Day

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned character named Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes in Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 1; At the Break of Day  
  
Needless to say, Dinobot was not enthused.  
  
He rarely was when it came to exploration and observation missions, but today he was unusually irritated.  
  
"I fail to see the purpose in wondering aimlessly through dense underbrush in hopes of spotting primitive life forms." Dinobot snarled as the Maximals made their way through the jungle not a hundred klicks southeast of Axalon.  
  
It was early morning on this primitive and mysterious world the Maximals were beginning to call "home". The stars were slowly fading from the brightening sky and the morning mist was raising off the ground in layers. Had the Maximals actually been the animals of their beast modes they would not have been able to see two nano-klicks in any direction; but being robots in disguise they could see...just that far.  
  
But why were the Maximals wandering around in the cold, gray hours of the morning, forcing their way through weaving vines and embanked trees?  
  
Simple.  
  
A venture into the jungle to observe and study the local wildlife. At least, that's what Optimus had called it. (The fact that Optimus had used the word 'venture', which was a synonym for 'risk', to describe the mission made Rattrap a little nervous. The fact that Chopper-Face was coming along didn't exactly calm his nerves.)  
  
Despite how noble and scientific Optimus had tried to make this event sound, Cheetor found a shorter synonym: Field trip!  
  
"They are not primitive life forms!" Tigatron growled "They are the rightful inhabitants of this planet and since we have disrupted their ways with our war it is our duty, as Maximals, to protect them!"  
  
Dinobot snarled and bore his teeth in Tigatron's direction. The snow-white tiger simply looked the other way. Thanks to Rattrap's constant harassment of the Pred- turned-Maximal, the others had learned that ignoring Dinobot was more insulting than any comment.  
  
"Wow," Cheetor whispered to Optimus "Tigatron's sure taking this trip seriously."  
  
"Tigatron has the one thing we lack," Optimus explained "an understanding of this planet and its wildlife. A closer examination of both might help us achieve an upper hand in this war and help to keep the memory of our true mission alive. Remember, Cheetor, Axalon is not a battle cruiser and we Maximals are not warriors. We are explorers, scientists, and guests on this planet. The war with Megatron was merely an unforeseen~"  
  
"Pile a col'ardslag?" Rattrap asked  
  
Optimus smirked, "I was going to say 'adventure', but that phrase works."  
  
"And what, by the Pit," Dinobot demanded as he stomped up to Optimus "could we possible learn from these beasts!"  
  
Optimus stopped and turned towards Dinobot with narrowed eyes. The group stopped as well, waiting for Optimus' response.  
  
"Well, for starters, respect for those in command would be prime." Optimus said coolly. Cheetor began snicker, but he quickly swallowed his laughter when Dinobot shot him a threatening glare.  
  
"I meant no disrespect to you, Optimus Primal," Dinobot said "I merely wish to know why we all had to be present for this~" he trilled thoughtfully, then said "nature walk."  
  
"Why? There some place else you need to be?" Optimus asked  
  
"Not to sound like an un-oiled gear, Optimus," Rhinox said "but I think Dinobot just raised a good question, one I'd like to have answered."  
  
"Wha?" Rattrap asked, raising up on his hind legs and looking over at the rhinosaurus "Ya mean YOUR sidin' wid Choppa-Face?!"  
  
"What gives, Rhinox?" Cheetor asked  
  
"Look, I'm all for learning as much about this planet as the next bot...assuming the next bot isn't Dinobot." Rhinox explained  
  
Dinobot snorted and started back down the path.  
  
"There's a 'but' to this somewhere." Optimus said, calmly grabbing Dinobot by the tail and pulling the Pred to a dead stop. Dinobot whirled and made a snap for Optimus' hand, but Optimus had all ready released Dinobot and crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
Rhinox nodded and continued "But ever since we crashed here the local wildlife have been avoiding both the crashsite and us like we'd avoid Obliviscor. They know we're different, they sense it some how, but they're not sure what to make of us. After all, we're a unique herd."  
  
"You mean they're scared of us?" Cheetor asked  
  
"They're merely causious." Tigatron explained "They have never seen creatures like us before, so they are trying to figure us out from a safe distance before getting too close. It's their natural response to anything new."  
  
"So, they're scared of us." Cheetor repeated. Tigatron gave up.  
  
"If we purposely set out to find them before they're ready to be found," Rhinox said "they're gonna assume we're hostile and they're going to defend themselves, possibly violently. Until they figure us out, a mission like this should be done by one bot, not the whole assembly line."  
  
"Leaving the base unprotected and vulnerable to a Predicon attack!" Dinobot added, clenching one of his clawed hands into a tight fist.  
  
"Something tells me you didn't hear a word Tigatron or I said." Rhinox sighed  
  
"Well, first accusation first." Optimus sighed "We're not hunting these animals, Rhinox, nor are we purposely seeking them out. If we find them, great, if we don't then at least we've gotten a better idea of what our territory looks like."  
  
"Are you implying that this entire venture is based on the Theory of Chance!" Dinobot demanded "If so, allow me to return to base to do something useful; defend Axalon!"  
  
"If anything should happen, Sentinel will take care of it." Optimus said "Try to relax, Dinobot. A few deca cycles of a 'nature walk' won't erase the warrior program from your database. If anything, you might get some ideas."  
  
Dinobot snorted, disgusted. "I fail to see how a stick or a rock could be of any use against a transformer."  
  
"Well, if ya talkin' abou' Buzz-Brain," Rattrap said "dey're really all ya need."  
  
"Dinobot, I think you're the perfect example as to why I asked everyone to be present." Optimus said  
  
Dinobot frowned, confused "Am I?"  
  
"You're tense, edgy, powered by aggression and frustration, and a little too eager to get in a fight."  
  
"`E's always like dat." Rattrap said  
  
"Not to this extreme," Optimus said "and I'm afraid to admit it, but we're all been the same way since our last encounter with Megatron. We've said things, done things, and made painfully aware of things we can't easily forget. So, I thought we need a break, just one day to ourselves with no worries and no responsibilities."  
  
"Very irresponsible and daring of you, Optimus Primal," Dinobot snorted, but he smirked slyly "though not illogical."  
  
Optimus nodded and added "Besides, it gives us all a chance to better explore our beast modes. The deletion of the program block only made us aware of our animal attributes, but it didn't give us any insight as to how those attributes could be useful."  
  
"Yeah, well, sum beasts ought naht be explored, Fearless Leada." Rattrap said, casting a wry glance towards Dinobot  
  
"Hey, gang!" Cheetor shouted, motioning to a near by clearing "Check it out!"  
  
The Maximals took a few steps forwards and focused their optical sensors, trying to determine shape from shadow. Their walk had taken them to a clearing in the jungle and as the mist danced off the forest floor, several dark figures took shape. They lumbered forwards on all four, but there was a graced to their movement. Some began to pull up roots and gnaw on the ends, a few others began to pull down tree branches and eat the leaves one by one.  
  
The mist faded away, revealing the shapes as a family of gorillas. Optimus smiled proudly as he watched the beasts he had chosen for his beast mode.  
  
An old Silverback lumbered among his tribe, checking the edge of their territory for intruders. His eyes finally fell on Optimus and his Maximals.  
  
More importantly, the old Silverback's eyes stared right into Optimus' optical sensors. Those deep, earth-toned eyes seemed to see right through Optimus. They broke him down into his basic components and pierced his spark. Time stood still. For a moment, Optimus was afraid.  
  
Silverback snorted abruptly, breaking his hold on Optimus, and turned towards a near by tree. He rose up on his back legs, reached up and grabbed the closest branch. Using his weight, he pulled to branch from the tree and landed on his rump with a THUD. Though his spell had been broken, the Silverback's eyes were still on Optimus as he proceeded to eat his meal.  
  
"Dat reminds me," Rattrap said to himself "I didn' 'ave breakfast."  
  
"You okay, Optimus?" Rhinox asked "You look like you've seen a ghost."  
  
"Huh? Yes, I'm just....prime." Optimus managed  
  
"Ultra-gear." Cheetor said taking a few steps closer "There must be ten of 'em, easy."  
  
"And, perhaps, more near by." Tigatron said, gently biting Cheetor's tail and pulling him a few nano-klicks back "I would suggest those of us with carnivorous heritage move back. We may frighten them."  
  
"My beast is dead, Tiger," Dinobot said quietly, almost mournfully "I pose no threat to these creatures."  
  
"Still," Optimus said "regardless of what's been said, we should all keep a safe distance, for our safety if not theirs."  
  
"Geez," Rattrap said "don' be such a warnin' sign, Optimus. Dey're jist apes, wha could'ey do?"  
  
A loud roar promptly answered Rattrap's question. The Maximals looked up to see a young, male gorilla come charging towards them. Tigatron, Optimus, and Rhinox fell back a few klicks; Rattrap gasped and dropped to the ground, covering his head with his paws; Cheetor dove into some near by bushes.  
  
Dinobot stood his ground.  
  
The young male stopped with in nano-klicks of Dinobot's face, rose to his hind legs and pounded on his chest, howling. Dinobot narrowed his eyes, looking completely unimpressed. The youth dropped down to all fours, thrashing the grass between himself and Dinobot, and roared. Dinobot lowered his head and looked the youth right in the eyes. The youth stopped his thrashing and glared right back, teeth bared and snarling. There was a moment of tension between the beast and bot as each judged the other. Dinobot lounged. He snapped at the young gorilla's face. The youth let out a howl of surprise as he stumbled backwards.  
  
"Dinobot, don't antagonize him!" Optimus ordered  
  
"He will not harm you if he thinks you do not pose a threat!" Tigatron added  
  
"But I do!" Dinobot snarled darkly  
  
The youth growled at Dinobot from his new position, a good four feet away from the raptor, then proceeded to pound the ground and make a terrible scene. Dinobot bared his teeth and growled, lounging and snapping at the gorilla. The youth lept back, putting a distance of three feet between himself and Dinobot.  
  
Dinobot snorted and began to leave. The youth charged him. Dinobot whirled, his tail striking the youth in the face, and snapped, just missing the young gorilla's neck. The youth stumbled back with a yelp.  
  
"Keep your distance or I'll have your head!" Dinobot barked  
  
The young gorilla growled back.  
  
Silverback had been watching the entire transaction with a blank expression on his face. Finally, the old gorilla shock his ancient head and sighed hopelessly. He slowly got to his feet and lumbered towards the mounting fight. When he was within two feet of the fighters he began to bark fiercely at the young gorilla.  
  
The youth glanced over at Silverback, then turned his attention back towards Dinobot. Dinobot crouched, preparing to lounge as soon his opponent let his guard down. The young gorilla rose on his hind feet and pounded his chest. Dinobot's muscles tightened.  
  
Silverback came up behind young gorilla and whapped him across the back of the head with one massive hand.  
  
"My mom used to do that to me." Cheetor said, peering out from behind his bush  
  
"Why am I not surprised?" Rhinox asked  
  
The youth dropped to all fours and cringed as Silverback began to berate him with sharp barks and growls. After a few moments, Silverback snorted his dismissal of the young gorilla and the youth sheepishly disappeared into the forest.  
  
Silverback sighed and turned his attention towards Dinobot. The warrior straightened to his full height and glared. Silverback's wise eyes traced every inch of the Transformer with indifference and contempt. Dinobot breathed sharply through his nose, then snorted at Silverback.  
  
Silverback sighed and returned to his spot beneath the shade. Dinobot watched the old gorilla go, a hint of respect and approval in his eyes. A hint that contradicted his clenched, trembling hands and bared teeth.  
  
"Well," Optimus sighed "I think that's enough adventure for now. Let's move out, Maximals."  
  
"Of all the humiliating experiences of my life, and those are few!" Dinobot fumed  
  
"Dinobot! That includes you!" Optimus called as the Maximals regrouped and started back on their walk.  
  
Dinobot snarled as he stomped up between Rattrap and Cheetor, hissing "The dishonor! To be challenged, then denied a battle's completion, by a monkey!"  
  
"Gorillas are not monkeys." Optimus pointed out calmly, a smile crossing his face.  
  
Dinobot snarled.  
  
"Ahh, don't worry about it, Dinobot." Cheetor said "That ape was just trying to show off, nothing to it. Besides, who will know about this other than us?"  
  
"I will know, Feline!" Dinobot snapped (literally) "Until this day, no creature or bot ever challenged me and went un-fought, undefeated! How humiliating!"  
  
"There is no humiliation in leaving well-enough alone." Tigatron said gently  
  
"Yeah, so stap actin' like ya pride's hurt en shaddup already." Rattrap snapped "`Sides, you wuz da one dat started da whole mess. Had ya left dat brat alone, like Optimus told ya~"  
  
"I am a warrior!" Dinobot roared "A warrior must face every challenge as though it would be his last, and glean from it every ounce of glory that he can!"  
  
Rattrap rolled his eyes, disgusted.  
  
"Honestly, Dinobot," Cheetor laughed "what could you have gotten out of fighting a gorilla?"  
  
"Proof," Dinobot snarled "that even in this form of flesh and blood I am still the greatest warrior of Cybertron!"  
  
"Like ya need an ego boosta." Rattrap groaned  
  
"A warrior must meet a challenge with courage, skill, and a determination to win! To deny a challenge is one thing, but to be denied a challenge's completion, leaving the victory and the honor un-claimable~"  
  
"Oh, will ya stap grindin' ya gears!" Rattrap moaned "We know dat ya wuzn' gonna fight dat ape so knock it off! Yain' foolin' nobody!"  
  
"Excuse me?" Dinobot stopped and slammed his foot on Rattrap's tail, jerking the rodent to a dead halt. "What is THAT supposed to mean?"  
  
"Look, Choppa-Face," Rattrap snorted through gritted teeth, turning around to pull his tail out from under Dinobot's clawed foot "I hate ta be da one ta break it to ya -- namely cuz it'll be my neck dat winds up between ya back molars -- buh dis 'Greatest Predicon Warrior' bit ya pullin', we ain' buyin'."  
  
Dinobot narrowed his eyes and tilted his head to get a better look at Rattrap. Rattrap gathered up all his strength and grabbed his tail, getting ready to yank it free....and hopefully force Dinobot on his back.  
  
"Since when have you become an expert on Predicon warriors, Vermin?" Dinobot demanded, lifting his foot just as Rattrap pulled. Rattrap went tumbling backwards and crashed right into Cheetor, who had stopped to watch the two bicker. The two tumbled backwards and landed in a heap. Dinobot smirked.  
  
"This 'unconvincing bit' you claim I am 'pulling'," Dinobot said, coming over to the two Maximals "is no 'bit'! I AM the greatest Predicon warrior!"  
  
"Den why da slag did ya hook up wid Megatron? Fa dat matta, why ya taggin' along wid a bunch a second class, last choice, far from prime en perfect, forma civilians a da Maximal Program!" Rattrap demanded as he and Cheetor got to their feet.  
  
"Who you callin' 'second class'!" Rhinox shouted back  
  
"My past is none of your concern!" Dinobot roared, moved by something greater than anger. "You should be more worried about your own future....or lack there of! Few have insulted me so and none have lived to tell the tale!"  
  
"`Cept dat ape back dere." Rattrap smirked, motioning towards the jungle.  
  
Dinobot's rage vanished and he took a step back.  
  
"Come on, Dinobot," Cheetor prodded, a knowing smile crossing his face "admit it. You were only teasing that kid, you won't have hurt him. You're just blowing off steam to save face."  
  
Dinobot narrowed his eyes and started after the others, eyes fixed on the horizon. Caught. His mouth drew down into a bitter frown as Cheetor and Rattrap caught up with him, and he said "I have stayed with you Maximals too long. Your twisted morals and weak virtues are becoming a permanent flaw in my basic program."  
  
"Yeah?" Rattrap asked "Well, jist rememba, Choppa-Face, if it weren' fa does 'twisted morals' you'd be nuhtin buda pile a scrap metal at da bottom a da river. So I'd keep my big trap shut if I wuz you."  
  
"Pretend you are me, Vermin, and keep your trap shut!"  
  
Optimus chuckled to himself and shock his head as the Maximals continued on their way. It was turning out to be a beautiful day, and if Dinobot and Rattrap's argument continued for much longer it would not be a boring day. In the distance, Optimus could see AirRazor's silhouette approaching them.  
  
Still, Optimus felt uneasy. There was a feeling he just couldn't shake, a feeling that haunted him. That old gorilla had seen him, made eye contact with him, and had watched him intently. But why? Rhinox had said the animals could sense the Maximals were different, but what, exactly, did they sense?  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Blast!" Tarantulus snapped, slamming his robotic fist on the computer council. The paneling caved in and curled around his fist. The exposed wires sparked and flashed as Tarantulus pulled his hand free and began to pace about his den beneath Darkside. On the main screen of the now damaged computer was a map of all known planetary energon deposits. The secondary screens showed the atomic make-up of stable and unstable energon.  
  
"There must be away to stabilize this energon!" Tarantulus hissed "Never have the Transformers, be them Decepticon or Autobot, Maximal or Predicon, ever encountered so much raw energon, so little is known about its stabilizing processes. However, that limited information has allowed us to stabilize small quantities of energon at one time, but in order for us to accomplish anything in this war we require much large quantities of pure energon. The task of stabilizing such quantities, at this moment, is impossible!"  
  
Tarantulus stopped pacing and shock his head "And I'm talking to myself, again."  
  
"So, the spider weaves another web." Black Arachnia's voice echoed through the rocky chambers. Tarantulus lept at the sound, frantically scrutinize the shadows of his lab.  
  
"What?" he gasped "How did you get in here, you little witch!"  
  
"Hey, a girl's got to have some secrets to keep herself interesting and mysterious." Black Arachnia's voice continued "What's new, Legs?"  
  
Tarantulus growled and clenched his fists. He cursed himself for creating such a scheming, traitorous, clever, deadly and beautiful Predicon that he had no control over... and couldn't help but love -- in his own twisted way.  
  
"None of your concern! Now go away!" Tarantulus snapped, turning back to his computer to fix the damaged control council.  
  
"Aww, what a shame." Black Arachnia sighed, her robot form slowly descending from the shadows above the computer via her web-gun. Tarantulus looked up with narrowed eyes as Black Arachnia landed in a seated position on the top of the computer.  
  
Her web-strain disengaged. She holstered her gun, crossed her legs and winked at Tarantulus, saying "What's the matter, Partner? Don't trust me?"  
  
"I trust you as much as I trust the Maximal Vermin." Tarantulus said, monotone  
  
"No need to be insulting." Black Arachnia said, crossing her arms over her chest as her mouth set into a hurt frown. But that slowly faded into a sly grin as she continued "So, what's got you up so early in the morning?"  
  
Tarantulus sighed and shock his head, unbending the curled panel and slamming it back on the council "If it will shut you up; I am attempting to solve our energy crisis."  
  
"Energy crisis? Since when have we had an energy crisis?"  
  
"You half-witted widow, are you so blinded by the present that you cannot see the impending future? I speak, of course, of our quest to dominate Cybertron. The reason we're all on this miserable planet!"  
  
"Our quest? Don't you mean 'Megatron's quest'?"  
  
"Megatron would still be on Cybertron plotting and scheming if it weren't for us. A leader must have loyal followers to accomplish his goals.....pity Megatron only found one such bot on Cybertron. He had to steal the other from the Maximals."  
  
"I still don't see what the problem is. What difference does it make if we get the energon now or later? Not like this planet will ever run out. Right now the only problem we have to worry about is the destruction of the Maximals."  
  
"A task which takes energon to accomplish! Energon to power our weapons, our computers, our defenses, even our own frames! The refining process we use on raw energon is too slow, we are limited to skirmishes and minor battles. This isn't a war, it's an amusing pastime as we attempt to collect enough energon just to keep our processors on-line!"  
  
"Ho-humm!" Black Arachnia yawned "As thrilling as it is to listen to your out- dated dogma, I'd like to bring you back to reality for a moment. This 'amusing pastime' isn't going anywhere until one side defeats the other...so unless you have a way for us to refine the energon more quickly I would suggest you quite wasting time down here and start pulling your weight! Faithful Predicons could be as numberous as the stars since you created me, Spider." Black Arachnia unholstered her gun and shot a string of webbing up into the shadows. As she ascended she added "All this widow needs is a protoform and you'd be as obsolete as a Telitran One."  
  
Tarantulus watched as Black Arachnia disappeared into the shadows then went back to his work.  
  
"Out-dated dogma." he snorted "If it wasn't for this 'out-dated dogma' she won't even be on-line, the ungrateful~"  
  
"Megatron to Tarantulus!" Megatron's voice boomed over the intercom, his face appearing on all the screens.  
  
"Gack! Megatron!" Tarantulus shouted, leaping back a few feet. He quickly regained his composure and stammered "Wha...what a surprise...I didn't know you had my number."  
  
"Save your breath, Spider." Megatron ordered "My loyal followers have made a discovery and I need you to make it useful!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Scorpinok gently placed the crystal on the lab table and stepped back between Waspinator and Inferno. Tarantulus scrutinized the find with narrowed eyes as Megatron, Terrorsaur and Black Arachnia looked on. All were in their robot modes.  
  
"Hmmm. Interesting." Tarantulus purred, picking up the crystal and holding it up to the light. It was a long crystal of energon, basically rectangular in shape but the edges were smooth and rounded. What made this a unique find was the energon was stable.  
  
"A naturally stable energon crystal." Tarantulus said "Smaller than most of the raw pieces we've found but quite possibly twice as powerful...if there are no impurities. I suppose it alone could power the main computer for a quazar. Let me scan it, properly, to be sure."  
  
Tarantulus placed the crystal on a scanning platform and switched it on. The blue scanning rays raced over, around and through the crystal, learning all its secrets...except its most deadly. The computer flashed the results at Tarantulus, who studied them with an intense gaze.  
  
"Very interesting." he purred happily "Not only is this crystal stable, but it is free of any impurities!"  
  
"Energon in its purest and most stable form." Megatron thought out loud "Legends have spoken of what pure energon can do...some even suspect that was the power source Unicron used to create Galvatron. Hmmm, very interesting indeed." Megatron turned to Scorpinok and his team, saying "Where did you find this?"  
  
"On a river bank, not far from~" Scorpinok started  
  
"Eta Square, Sector 5.34042." Inferno interrupted, giving a stiff salute in Megatron's direction "3.7 klicks north-northwest of neutral territory land mark 67.025."  
  
"Uhh," Scorpinok said, a little hurt that Inferno had beaten him to the good news...again. "Right. What he said."  
  
"That's Maximal territory." Black Arachnia said  
  
Megatron frowned "I'm surprised the Maximals are unaware so such wealth just klicks from their finger tips. Hmm. Were there other stable crystals in this area?"  
  
Scorpinok opened his mouth, but Inferno was already talking.  
  
"Yes, My Queen!" Inferno said, still saluting "The entire river bank is flooded with riches for the colony!"  
  
"Excellent, yes!" Megatron said, grabbing the crystal off the scanner and holding it up for all the Predicons to see. "A shore of stable energon just klicks from my grasp. Instruments of destruction, the key to the defeat of the Maximals and our conquest of Cybertron. Well done, Inferno, you have served me~" Megatron looked over at Inferno, who was still in a stiff salute. Megatron sighed "At ease."  
  
Inferno dropped his hand to his side. Waspinator and Scorpinok could only look at each other and shrug.  
  
"Not to rain on your parade," Black Arachnia snapped "but even if this riverbank is flooded with pure energon crystals, the only thing we'll be able to conquer after dealing with the Maximals and fixing Darkside is Neon...if they're all that size, that is."  
  
"Where there is one there will be many." Megatron simply said "Yes! Where ever these fragments originated the source must be up stream...near the origin of the river. Inferno, I want you to take Black Arachnia and Terrorsaur to this Energon River and find its source. Waspinator and Scorpinok will return to gather the crystals."  
  
"It not fair!" Waspinator whined "Waspinator and Scorpinok could find source just as well as Ant-Bot! Why not he gather energon?"  
  
"Because HE is loyal and trustworthy." Megatron said simply  
  
"Oh." was the best response Waspinator could come up with  
  
"That's only because he's a Maximal by basic program!" Scorpinok growled to himself. Luckily for him the only one who heard was Waspinator.  
  
"If it would please you, Megatron," Tarantulus said "I would like to accompany Inferno so as to study the naturally stable crystals once they are found. We know so little about the stabilizing processes, perhaps we could find an easier and faster way by studying these crystals."  
  
"Agreed. Now, the four of you, hurry! We can't allow the Maximals to find the Energon River. No!"  
  
"And just to satisfy my twisted curiosity," Black Arachnia said "what the slag are you gonna do?"  
  
Megatron smiled and let the light fracture through the stable energon crystal, creating a neon rainbow on the wall behind him, saying "Some one has to test the crystal, does he not? And I have just the target......Yes." 


	2. Chapter 2: Trials and Tribulations

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned character named Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes in Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 2; Trials and Tribulations  
  
"Okay, lemme try." Rattrap said, looking around the jungle for inspiration "My optical sensor locate sumtin' dat iz...green."  
  
"Could you make it any harder?" Cheetor groaned, looking down at Rattrap  
  
"Hey, you don' like it? Tough. It's my turn."  
  
Cheetor sighed and started running down his list of possibilities "A tree."  
  
"Nope." Rattrap smiled "You'll neva guess."  
  
"I fail to see the point to this..." Dinobot trilled, trying to think of the word "...mental exercise."  
  
"It's not a 'mental exercise'," Cheetor said "it's a game."  
  
"Waste of time." Dinobot snarled  
  
"No, ta pass da time, Choppa-Face." Rattrap explained, then to Cheetor "Givin' up?"  
  
Cheetor narrowed his eyes and looked around, then said "A bush?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Moss?"  
  
"Uh-uhh." came the negative  
  
"Grass?"  
  
"Wrong again."  
  
"Ivy?" Tigatron called from the head of the parade  
  
"Who said you could play?" Rattrap demanded "En no, ya wrong. I told ya ya wouldn' get it."  
  
"Well, it's got to be something in the forest." Cheetor said, turning towards Dinobot  
  
"Do not bring me in on your childish endeavors!" Dinobot growled, then added in a low whisper "I don't know either."  
  
"Ya right 'bout it bein' in da jungle, Pussy-Cat, but it ain' wha ya think it is." Rattrap laughed  
  
"Oxidized copper!"  
  
"Where da slag do you see oxidized coppa?"  
  
"Well, did you?"  
  
"No, dat's why I'm askin'."  
  
Cheetor sighed in disgust and said "All right, I give up. What's the answer?"  
  
"Rhinox in robot mode."  
  
Rhinox' ears pricked up and he turned his head towards Rattrap and Cheetor, shocked.  
  
"Errrow! That's cheating!" Cheetor snapped, stopping dead in his tracks  
  
"Is not!" Rattrap snapped back, raising up on his hind legs to stare the furious feline down. Dinobot stopped and watched the verbal spat with narrowed eyes. The others continued on for a few klicks then stopped and waited.  
  
"You have to choose something you SEE!" Cheetor hissed  
  
"Well," Rattrap said, crossing his arms over his chest "I saw Rhinox en jist cuz 'e ain' in robot mode don' mean 'e ain' green!"  
  
"Oh, brother." Rhinox groaned, then asked Optimus "Can't you make them stop?"  
  
"I'm rather enjoying listening to them, aren't you?" Optimus laughed  
  
"I was until they got me involved." Rhinox sighed  
  
"Don't be so glum, Rhinox." Air Razor said "They've used me at least twice."  
  
"Cheater, cheater, cheater!" Cheetor growled  
  
"No, you're da cheetah, I'm a rat." Rattrap smirked  
  
"Stop twisting my words around!"  
  
"Stap actin' like a swore losa en jist take ya turn!"  
  
"All right, I see a two-timing rat who can't play by the rules!"  
  
"Oh, now ya pushin' it, Kiddo!"  
  
"All right, the both of you, knock it~!" Optimus was interrupted by a lazer blast that sent the team flying in two different direction. Smoke filled the air as the Maximals crashed to the ground...or in Dinobot's case, a tree.  
  
When the smoke cleared Megatron was standing in the center of the fallen Maximals, laughing hysterically.  
  
"Megatron!" Optimus gasped "Maximals, Maximize!"  
  
On command the Maximals lept to their feet and transformed into their robot modes. They circled Megatron, weapons raised.  
  
"Hold it right there, Megatron!" Optimus ordered  
  
"So, this is where you Maximals have been hiding." Megatron said with a sly smile "I was a little concerned when no one answered my calls. I was afraid you had gone off line without inviting me to the recycling."  
  
"Talk is a cheap, Megatron." Optimus said "State your business or prepare to be vaporized."  
  
"Ahh, the direct approach. How professional. Very well, I am here to make a request of you fools! Yes."  
  
"A request?" Rhinox asked  
  
"What kind of request?" Air Razor asked sarcastically "That we surrender and bow before your greatness?"  
  
"Well, aren't you a charming little song-bird?" Megatron said "This, actually, has nothing to do with you Maximal scum, no, but rather the Predicon among you."  
  
Dinobot straightened, but his face showed no emotion.  
  
"What do you want with Dinobot?" Cheetor asked  
  
"Simple." Megatron said "A Challenge!"  
  
"Wha?" Rattrap asked  
  
Megatron turned to face Dinobot and spoke the traditional phrase. "I, the Challenger, come before you, the Challenged, in the name of honor and the Predicon Code~"  
  
"Oh gimme a break!" Rattrap groaned  
  
"Don't interrupt me." Megatron snapped, then continued "~in the name of honor and the Predicon Code, to offer you a chance for glory and a place in Silicon Valhan. I, Megatron, challenge you, Dinobot, to the Predicon Challenge!"  
  
"The Predicon Challenge?" Tigatron asked  
  
"He's just making that up!" Air Razor said "There's no such thing."  
  
"No," Dinobot said solemnly "it exists. The Predicon Challenge is a competition held among the Predicons ever Blue Stellar Cycle."  
  
"You speak of the Challenge as though it were nothing more than a game!" Megatron snapped "I had expected more from a Bellator Maximus than a drone's report!"  
  
Dinobot snorted and glared at Megatron.  
  
"By Primus, what are you talking about, Megatron?" Optimus demanded  
  
"I figured Dinobot would be too disgraced by his alliance with you Maximal scum to tell you anything about his past," Megatron continued "but by now you must have realized that he isn't your assembly line Predicon! He happens to be a famous warrior among our ranks, having served both the Tri-Predacus Council and the Maximal Elders in times of war, as well as seven time defending champion of the Predicon Challenge!"  
  
"En me widout my autograph track." Rattrap groaned "Now, kin we blast ya or does dis monologue continue?"  
  
"This has nothing to do with you, Vermin," Megatron snapped "NO, so I would appreciate it if you would keep your trap shut! This is between me and Dinobot! Under the Predicon Code of Honor, Dinobot is obligated to fight me to the bitter end to save what little honor his treachery has left him!"  
  
"Since when do you abide by the Predicon Code of Honor!" Dinobot demanded  
  
"Since a Predicon became a Maximal." Megatron snorted  
  
Optimus narrowed his eyes and looked Megatron over, trying to find some hint as to what the Predicon leader's true intention was. In a war for the future, why dig up the past? Why fight under this pretence now? A battle for honor should have been fought shortly after Dinobot changed sides....if honor was what Megatron was truly fighting for.  
  
Optimus crossed his arms over his chest and asked "What are you trying to pull, Megatron?"  
  
"Pull? My dear Optimus Primal, I intend to 'pull' nothing. I merely wish my proper due. I have challenged. The Traitor must accept."  
  
"HA!" Dinobot laughed "You're main-frame is more corroded than I imaged! It is I who have more right than you. As Bellator Maximus and your elder, I have the right to deny your challenge, declare it null and void, and put your skill in question! What makes you think I would ever accept your challenge?"  
  
"Deny me this battle, Traitor, and when we return to Cybertron not only will I declare you a coward, but also a Maximal sympathizer. I doubt that emblem on your brow will get you a cell in Silicon Valhan after you've been stripped of your honor."  
  
Dinobot snorted, unaffected by the threat "Honor comes to those who follow their Code. My time here has made me realize that emblems, distinguishing symbols, merely state what program was insulted. It has no effect on a warrior's true code~"  
  
"Tell me, Dinobot," Megatron interupted "What do you suppose will become of Valnatron after your spark is extinquishes and your frame vaporized."  
  
Dinobot's face when blank with surprise (an emotion Rattrap never imaged the Pred had in his data banks). Then his eyes began to glow, but not their usual green. It was an intense, burning, almost electrifying blue that lit the Pred's eyes. Dinobot let out a hellish roar and charged at Megatron. Cheetor and Rattrap grabbed the Pred by the arms and managed to pull him to a dead stop...only by using ever ounce of strength they had.  
  
"Put the breaks on, Dinobot!" Cheetor shouted  
  
"Cool it, Choppa-Face!" Rattrap hissed through gritted teeth "Dat bolt'ead's jist tryin' ta bait ya...en it's workin'." He could feel his feet sliding forward, his heels carving a rut two nano-klick deep in the dirt. His grip started to fail.  
  
"Release me!" Dinobot roared, pulling himself free, but he didn't continue his charge at Megatron. Instead, he pointing at Megatron and shouted "I accept your challenge, Megatron! May the winner's spark continue on in glory and the loser face the Pit!"  
  
Megatron grinned.  
  
Had the Maximals taken a click to look Megatron over they would have noticed the strange, pale, blue light engulfing his frame and the burning in his optical sensors. From the teeth of his T-Rex head streamed a bright blue light, for inside sat the energon crystal, glowing and pulsing like a heart.  
  
*****  
  
"One crystal." Waspinator buzzed, picking up one of the energon crystals that littered the river bank. He studied it for a moment, then said "Look like horsy."  
  
Waspinator wished the sudden flock of clouds hadn't blocked the sun. He wanted to reflect the light through the crystal and create a neon rainbow. He like bright colors. He liked them because they were so different. Cybertron was mostly grays and blacks, very depressing if you asked Waspinator. But this planet, this alien planet, had colors for which Waspinator lacked have words. It was so different, so fasinating.  
  
Waspinator looked up at the sky, but the clouds refused to move. Waspinator sighed sadly, he'd just have to wait. He place his crystal in the bucket he carried on one of his bug legs and began to search for another one, unaware that Scorpinok was watching him.  
  
Scorpinok shock his head and looked his surroundings over with a sigh. What Megatron had decided to call the Energon River was actually one of two calm branches of a glowing, raging river that cut the near by jungle in half. One branch, the Energon River, turned back into the forest, where it cut its way through the thick jungle before slowing down along a snow white bank and fed a near by lake. The second branch gently wove its way through a meadow that bordered Maximal territory before it disappeared down a gaping hole in the ground. Scorpinok wasn't sure if it came out of a spring else where or not.  
  
And right now he didn't care.  
  
Scorpinok and Waspinator had been escorted by Inferno and the others to this place and ordered to collect ever energon crystal they could find. The sandy banks were only three klicks long and the crystals were only on one bank, but that was still a lot of work for two bots. Another thing Scorpinok hated was the river kept washing up along the banks and either pulled the crystals back into its depths or deposit more crystals onto the shore.  
  
Scorpinok growled at his bad luck as he scooped up a clawfull of crystals and dumped them in his bucket, which hung from the stinger on his tail. Waspinator looked around at the glittering beach of jewels before picking up another crystal and holding it up to examine it.  
  
"Two crystal," Waspinator said "look like birdie. Three crystal, look like flower. Four crystal, look like...look like....What does Scorpinok think this look like?"  
  
"I don't care!" Scorpinok snapped "Just put them in the bucket so we can get this over with!"  
  
Waspinator looked hurt, then turned his attention back to the crystal and rubbed his chin. "Hmmm. Waspinator think it look like Class 42 Maximal Deep Space Cruiser."  
  
Scorpinok stopped and looked up at Waspinator, eyes wide in amazement.  
  
"Or a bunny!" Waspinator buzzed happily  
  
"STOP IT!" Scorpinok hollered  
  
Waspinator dropped the crystal and cover his head with his bug arms, sniveling "Ooooh, why Scorpinok mad at Waspinator! Waspinator only trying to make best of situation!"  
  
"You're annoying me!" Scorpinok snarled, grabbing the crystal in one of his claws and shaking it at Waspinator "I was the one who found this place, not that blasted ant! I should be leading that group up the river! I should be finding the source of these crystals! I should be the hero of this mission! I should....Hey, this does look like a Class 42 Maximal Deep Space Cruiser."  
  
"Waspinator knows his ships!" Waspinator said, smiling  
  
Scorpinok sighed and placed the crystal in his bucket "Things were so much better before that stupid ant came along with his salutes and colony and 'My Queen' nonsense."  
  
As Scorpinok went back to gathering crystals, Waspinator scratched his head and thought out loud. "Why Antbot called Megatron 'Queen'? Megatron not lady-bot. Antbot have glitch?"  
  
"That bug has more glitches than our ship!" Scorpinok growled "He's defective and useless and we would be better off with out him! Times like this I really wish he had sided with the Maximals or been destroyed or~" Scorpinok dropped the crystal he was holding and transformed into his robot mode, dropping his bucket in the process. He grabbed Waspinator and shock him wildly  
  
"That's it, Waspinator!" he shouted "That's it!  
  
"WWWhhhaaaatttt iiiittttt?????" Waspinator asked  
  
"We'll get rid of Inferno!" Scorpinok said, letting Waspinator go "All we have to do is trap him, delete his program, and extinguish his spark!"  
  
"WWWWWeeeeeee????" Waspinator buzzed, his head still spinning  
  
"Yes, we! Of course we! You don't like him either."  
  
"WWWaassppinnaattorr dddoonn''ttt???" Waspinator asked  
  
"This is brilliant! Why didn't I think of this sooner! Come on! Hurry! As soon as we're finished here we can head up stream and catch Inferno off guard."  
  
Scorpinok changed back into his beast mode and began to work as fast as he could, scooping clawfull after clawfull of crystals into his bucket. Waspinator continued to sway in his dazed state before falling to the ground with a THUD!  
  
"Waspinator not feel well." he moaned  
  
*****  
  
"This is crazy, Dinobot!" Cheetor said as they came to the designated battle field.  
  
The battle site was another unnatural rock formation. A circle of high stones, ten klicks taller than Cheetor decorated with strange markings, in an open field just a few klicks from the jungle's edge. The plot of land the formation surrounded was huge, long enough and wide enough to bury a Decepticon or Autobot. The perimeter was marked by a ring of water that rushed out of an unseen spring and through the field to a lake a few Mega-klicks in the south. Megatron stood in the center of the ring, waiting patiently for Dinobot to enter. The Maximals and Megatron were still in robot mode, since the energon field in this area was the weakest.  
  
"You're not seriously going to fight him, are you?" Cheetor insisted, grabbing Dinobot's arm  
  
Dinobot pulled away, disgusted, and said "I know of no other way, for only an amateur would fight in an asinine manner. I am an accomplished warrior, I fight each battle as though it would be my last."  
  
"You're a slag spoutin' saurian, if ya ask me." Rattrap said, leaning up against a near by boulder "Even if ya are seven time defendin' champ."  
  
"I did not ask for your opinion, Vermin, so your remark goes unnoticed." Dinobot snorted.  
  
Rattrap stuck his tongue out as his reply.  
  
"This just doesn't make sense." Air Razor said  
  
"You question the Challenge." Dinobot said  
  
"I do. Of all of us, why did Megatron choose to battle you?"  
  
Dinobot sighed and shock his head hopelessly. He had to keep reminding himself that the Maximals knew as much about Predicons as he knew about them. "The Challenge is between Predicons! It is a sacred tradition that has existed thousands of stellar cycles before our program was ever created. To challenge a Maximal for Predicon glory would be disgraceful!"  
  
"That answers 'why a Predicon', but not 'why you'!" Air Razor snapped "You know better than any of us how Predicons work so you should see just how warped this challenge is!"  
  
"The Challenge is warped!?" Dinobot roared, insulted.  
  
"Predicons aren't known for holding personal grudges." Optimus said, trying to divert Dinobot's mounting anger "Everything that is done must be done for honor and if, in the course of seeking that honor, you happen to get revenge then more power to you."  
  
Dinobot calmed himself, crossed his arms over his chest and said "Your description of the Predicon program is flawed, Optimus Primal, for as time passed our program deviated from our its original matrix. Were Cybertron a model Utopia we Predicons would still be the honorable warriors you image us to be, but just as the Decepticons fell from grace so did the Predicons." Dinobot grinned darkly and shock his head "When we return to Cybertron I will have to rewrite the history track you down- loaded. It is critically flawed."  
  
"Huh?" Rattrap voiced "Hey, history don' change, Choppa-Face, dat's why it's called 'history'!"  
  
"History does change, Vermin!" Dinobot snarled "For as time passes, information gets lost and rediscovered. Leaders erase volumes of our past to hide the faults of their predecessors. Organizations purge data streams of "corrupted opinions" and new ideas to keep the status quo. Memoirs and personal records are edited so as not to taint a hero's future with misdeeds of the past. Then, when the changes have been accepted, a few who refuse to believe what they are handed begin to search. They dig up the relics of the past and force the truth to the surface, bringing it to light after generations of residing in darkness. History changes...and so do we."  
  
"Both programs have changed over time, I'll admit," Optimus said "but there is still a basic program that governs both programs. It is endowed on us the day we come on-line and stays with us till the bitter end. Megatron is a Predicon and his program still has those basic elements of honor and glory. Doesn't that make his challenge seem a bit odd?"  
  
"No!" Dinobot snarled "His challenge makes perfect sense!"  
  
"Then enlighten us. Why challenge you now? After all this time, why prey on your Predicon heritage? If you can answer those questions, I'll let you fight him."  
  
Dinobot snorted and flashed his evil grin "Like you could stop me."  
  
As Dinobot turned to start towards the battlefield, Optimus asked "Whose Valnatron?"  
  
Dinobot stopped. The question had struck him like a null-ray and there was no escaping the images it recalled. He turned and looked each Maximal over with narrowed eyes before he started in a cold tone of voice "The true nature of this challenge, on both the personal and cultural levels of reason, escapes you, Optimus Primal, for a good cause. If Time were kind and an alley to warriors, I would explain all to you, but kindness is not a trait Time is known for...nor is a Predicon."  
  
Dinobot started towards the battle field, unsheathing his sword as he went.  
  
"Well, can't say it's been nice knowin' ya." Rattrap sighed  
  
"Aren't you going to stop him?" Cheetor asked Optimus  
  
"For once, no." Optimus sighed grimly  
  
"What? Why! He's going to get slagged out there!"  
  
"Dinobot knows what he's doing."  
  
"But, Optimus~"  
  
"Cheetor," Optimus raised one hand "don't start."  
  
"Relax, Spots," Rattrap said "as much as I'd like fa it ta happen, Choppa-Face ain't gonna crash on us. He's a warrior, he's too thick-framed en stubborn ta crash. Jist sit back en enjoy da show."  
  
"This doesn't make sense," Rhinox said to Optimus "even for Megatron. He's up ta somethin'."  
  
"Yes," Optimus sighed, eyes narrowing as he watched Dinobot enter the ring "but the question is 'what'."  
  
  
"So, we meet again in the Ring of Victory." Megatron said as Dinobot took his stance on his side of the formation "Yes. You, the master, undefeated; I, the challenger, unwilling to lose! Today will mark the beginning of a new era, a new history, a new champion."  
  
"Are you planning on defeating me by boring me to death, Megatron!" Dinobot demanded "Silence your oral wave and fight!"  
  
"With pleasure!" Megatron said with a sly smile, lifting his T-Rex head. As Megatron opened the jaws, Dinobot caught a glimpse into the cannon's mouth. In the back, connected to the out-put port, was...the stable energon crystal. It glowed softly and hummed sweetly.  
  
Megatron opened fire. The lazer refracted through the crystal, changing a bright blue, and raced from the cannon's mouth. Dinobot barely had anytime to react. He crashed to the ground just as the beam closed in for the kill. Dinobot's optical sensors followed the beam as it struck the boulder immediately behind him.  
  
The boulder flashed a bright blue and vanished.  
  
"By the Pit." Dinobot gasped  
  
The Maximals' eyes widened in horror as Megatron began to laugh.  
  
"Yes!" Megatron shouted "Victory is with in my grasp! The universe has a new Galvatron! Prepare yourself, Traitor!"  
  
With that, Megatron opened a rapid round of cannon fire in Dinobot's direction.  
  
  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Two things. (1) A blue stellar cycles is a set of five Cybertronian years [stellar cycles], denoting the amount of time it took the old moons of Cybertron to overlap in the sky. The light reflected off this cluster of moons was blue. (2) The wars Megatron is refering to are wars fought between the Transformers and other races. 


	3. Chapter 3: Losses and Finds

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 3; Losses and Finds  
  
A roaring river divided the lush jungle into two sections. Both banks glimmered with shards of stable energon. On one side Inferno, in beast mode and his head held high, was leading Black Arachnia, Tarantulus and Terrorsaur, also in beast modes, up stream.  
  
Inferno glanced back and decided the distance between himself and Black Arachnia was too far. Quickly, he climbed up a fallen tree and turned to face the others.  
  
"Keep up, you fools!" Inferno shouted "The Royalty commands we find the source of these crystals to feed the colony!"  
  
"He says one more thing about the colony," Black Arachnia growled "I'm going to break him in half, rip out his spark and~"  
  
"Now, now, Black Arachnia," Terrorsaur teased "that's not very lady like."  
  
Black Arachnia transformed into her robot mode and grabbed Terrorsaur by his saurian neck, pulling him down from the air and bringing his beck up to her face.  
  
"One more word and I'll show you why we're called 'black widows!" Black Arachnia growled  
  
"Charming image." Tarantulus said as he passed the two and continued after Inferno, who had resumed his march up stream, unaware of the conflict behind him.  
  
Black Arachnia glared after Tarantulus then turned back towards Terrorsaur with narrowed eyes and bared teeth. Terrorsaur grinned nervously. With a disgusted sigh, Black Arachnia threw Terrorsaur into the river, changed back into her beast mode and hurried after Inferno.  
  
Tiny bubbles rose to the river's surface. They were shortly followed by Terrorsaur, who flailed his way to the river's edge and clawed himself onto dry land. Being a pterodactyl was great, so long as he stuck to the air.  
  
"Ohhh, why me?" Terrorsaur asked himself. 'For that matter,' he thought, 'why are we out here? What are we looking for? Has something to do with the crystals but...what?'  
  
"Uhh, Black Arachnia!" Terrorsaur shouted, taking to the air and catching up with the She-Spider.  
  
"What do you want now?" she growled  
  
"Uhh, quick question; Why are we out here?"  
  
"Because Megatron is to lazy to do his own work." Black Arachnia growled  
  
"The Royalty does not work, Spider. The Royalty leads!" Inferno snapped "The workers are the ones who do the searching, hunting and gathering for the colony!"  
  
"Gathering?" Terrorsaur asked "Gathering what?"  
  
"Are you really this stupid or are you just trying to annoy me!" Black Arachnia hissed, stopping as she turned to face him "We're trying to find the source of these stable energon crystals, Motor-head! The ones Inferno and your two worthless friends found, remember!?!"  
  
"Oh, yeah." Terrorsaur said softly, his memory glitch clearing up "That's right. Huh, I guess I forgot."  
  
"Ugh, you're hopeless." Black Arachnia groaned, disgusted. She continued after Tarantulus and Inferno, leaving Terrorsaur to sort out his problem.  
  
"But how could I forget so easily. Something as important as that, how I could have just up and...Hey, wait for me!"  
  
*****  
  
As each blast missed Dinobot it sped off into the distance, hitting a tree or rock which vanished with a flash of light. Everything hit was completely destroyed, down to the very atoms. One blast hit the ground beneath the tallest boulders, which tumbled into the river, blocking off its path to the lake.  
  
Dinobot dove, rolled, forced himself into an aerial backflip using only his left hand, and landed in a crouched position facing Megatron. He dodged Megatron's fire with a grace not found in bots his size...but aquired through years of living under fire.  
  
"How do you like my new toy, Dinobot?" Megatron asked, ceasing fire "I must say it functions much better than any other weapon I've ever had the privilege of using."  
  
"It--would appear--that you--have not learned--from my lessons," Dinobot panted "nor gleaned--any wisedom--from your loses."  
  
"Oh, I have learned, Old Timer, but not from your teachings! NO! The old rules are dead! Glory and victory no longer live in honor! The Rules of War have changed, and so must we!"  
  
"The METHODS of war have changed and the weapons evolved," Dinobot snorted "but the Rules of War remain the same. Honor still governs the warrior and Glory still rewards him!"  
  
"You're blind, Dinobot! Blinded by your own unquestioning loyalty to a dying code! That loyalty will be your end!"  
  
"Don't be concerned about my fate when you have your own to fear for!!" Dinobot roared  
  
Dinobot charged Megatron with a terrifying battle cry, sword clenched in his hand. Megatron fired, but Dinobot dodged the blasts, lept into the air and knocked Megatron to the group with one swift kick. Megatron collapsed on to his back and watched as Dinobot brought his sword down at Megatron's spark chamber. Megatron rolled away and fired at Dinobot. Dinobot dropped. The blast raced over his head and between two of the stones...towards the Maximals.  
  
"INCOMING!" Cheetor hollered  
  
The blast raced right between Optimus and Rhinox and struck a tree nano-klicks behind Rattrap, micro-klicks above his head. Rattrap whirled to check the damage....but there was nothing to check. The tree had vanished. Rattrap turned to face the others. Their optical sensors were wide with horror and shock. Rattrap smiled smugly, shrugged and collasped.  
  
"Rattrap!" Air Razor shouted as she and Cheetor raced to him "You okay?"  
  
"He just missed meeting the Matrix by two micro-klicks!" Cheetor snapped "What do YOU think!"  
  
"I'm fine!" Rattrap snarled, waving for Air Razor and Cheetor to get away "Jist gimme sum air, will ya!"  
  
"By the Matrix, what kind of weapon makes matter disappear with one blast!" Tigatron gasped, turning back towards the battlefield  
  
"A powerful one." Rhinox said, focused his optical sensors on Megatron's laser. As Megatron opened his T-Rex head to fire at Dinobot, Rhinox saw the crystal flash and the laser rush between the beast's teeth.  
  
"His luck can't hold out forever." Cheetor groaned "Even if it is warrior's luck."  
  
"Dinobot doesn't believe in luck," Optimus said "only skill."  
  
"Well, he's gonna need more than skill or luck ta get his skin oudda that fire." Rhinox said "Megatron's got an energon crystal hooked directly to the out-put port of his laser canon."  
  
"A wha'?" Rattrap asked, getting to his feet as smoothly as possible  
  
"He's supercharging the blasts...he's cheating!" Rhinox said  
  
"I knew it!" Cheetor growled, racing towards the battle field, his gut and tail gun all ready out of their holsters.  
  
"Cheetor, wait!" Optimus shouted, but Cheetor was already half way to the field  
  
  
"Hold still so I can obliterate you!" Megatron ordered, leaping to his feet  
  
"Not in your worst nightmare." Dinobot growled back, charging at Megatron.  
  
Megatron's frustration was building, clouding his senses. He was close enough to Dinobot that they could fight hand-to-hand. Megatron roared and swung his Rex Cannon at Dinobot. Dinobot dodged the punch and slugged Megatron in the jaw with the hilt of his sword. Megatron stumbled back. Dinobot lept into the air and did a spin-kick, hitting Megatron in the side of the face the heels of both feet. Megatron dropped to his knees. As Dinobot landed Megatron grabbed Dinobot's legs with his Tail-vise and threw him clear across the battle field.  
  
For a moment the world was spinning, and then Dinobot slammed into one of the remaining boulders with a bone shattering CRASH. Dinobot collapsed to the ground. Sometime during his "flight", Dinobot's sword had left his hand and was now laying a few klicks from him. He must have hit the boulder hard, he thought, to feel as bad as he did.  
  
However, if Dinobot had seen what Optimus and the others had seen, he would have checked that last thought. When Megatron grabbed Dinobot's legs an energy impulse wrapped itself around Dinobot and pulled his energy into Megatron.  
  
Megatron got to his feet, refreshed and recharged. He streched his arms and and approached the weakened Dinobot with a smug smile on his face.  
  
"So, the mighty warrior has finally fallen!" Megatron said "A new master has risen from this battle field to embrace the title of Bellator Maximus and lead the Predicons into a glorious new future!!...A future you will never see. Say goodbye, Dinobot!"  
  
With that Megatron lifted his Rex canon and aimed it right at Dinobot's spark chamber. The crystal charged. It began to glow. The light it omitted touched Dinobot's face softly, as if to say goodbye.  
  
Cheetor rushed onto the field, letting out his own battle cry.  
  
"Errrow!" he shouted "Not this time, Mega-dumb!"  
  
Megatron turned and pointed the canon at Cheetor. Cheetor lept and fired both his guns. The first shot hit the charged crystal, freeing it from Megatron's gun and sending it flying. The second shot hit Megatron right in the chest. Megatron stumbled back. Cheetor hit the ground and rolled into a crouched position, guns aimed at Megatron.  
  
The crystal spiraled through the air and landed in the river with a gentle splash. Slowly the river began to glow a bright, eerie blue.  
  
Dinobot rose to his feet and lounged at Megatron, hitting him several times with his clenched fists. Each hit drove Megatron back a step or so. Dinobot spun. His foot slammed into Megatron's gut and the Predicon leader was sent flying. Megatron crashed into one of the pillars and fell to the ground, defeated.  
  
Dinobot's eyes began to glow. He approached the fallen Megatron with slow, steady steps. Megatron was too dazed and drained of energy to realize what was happening. Dinobot stopped and glared at Megatron, his eyes growing brighter and brighter with every passing click.  
  
Dinobot's eyes went red and he walked away.  
  
The Maximals rushed towards the battle field as Dinobot scooped up his sword and stomped over towards Cheetor.  
  
"No need to thank me." Cheetor grinned proudly, standing up and holstered his guns "Just thought I'd~"  
  
"By the Pit and Matrix, what were you thinking!" Dinobot growled, pointing the tip of his blade at Cheetor's face.  
  
Cheetor's eyes widened in surprise. He had expected praise, not a lecture. He stuttered "I....I was only...you see...that is~"  
  
"I told you to stay clear of this battle field!" Dinobot snarled "Do you have any idea the dishonor you have bestowed upon my Spark! Were you of my program I would scrap you for such an insult!"  
  
Cheetor tried to explain, but he couldn't find his oral wave. Why couldn't Dinobot see Cheetor had just saved his life? Why didn't he realized they had defeated Megatron together? As Cheetor's main frame spun these questions around in his head, Megatron forced himself to his feet and fired his Rex cannon at Cheetor.  
  
"Cheetor!" Optimus shouted as he raced towards Cheetor.  
  
Dinobot slammed his hand against Cheetor's back and forced him to the ground as he himself dropped out of the laser's path. The bolt, minus its strange power, slammed right into Optimus' chest and sent him flying into the glowing river.  
  
"Optimus!" Rhinox shouted as he and the others reached the field.  
  
Rhinox took a deep breath and dove into the river after Optimus. The river, surprisingly, was deep. Really deep. Rhinox sped through the water after the sinking Optimus. As he sank Optimus changed into his beast mode, though it was clear he was unconscious.  
  
'Megatron's blast must have knocked Optimus' transformation gear out of alignment. That'll save his circuits from shorting out.' Rhinox thought as he grabbed Optimus' arm and started to swim towards the surface.  
  
But something didn't feel right, and that feeling's intensity increased with every passing click . Rhinox could feel his memory files of the past hours slowly fading away. He swam harder, faster.  
  
As Rhinox rescued Optimus the Maximals dealt with Megatron, opening fire on him as soon as they reached Cheetor and Dinobot, who remained face down on the ground. Megatron shielded himself from the blasts with his Tail Vise, his pride hurt more that his frame.  
  
"You fool!" Megatron hissed "I will remember this insult, Feline, yesss! You will wish I had destroyed your spark on this battle field when I'm through with you!"  
  
"Shaddup en git oudda 'ere!" Rattrap snapped  
  
Megatron, his power source gone, raced off the battle field, changing into his beast mode as he ran. Cheetor and Dinobot slowly got to their feet and turned towards the others as Rhinox surfaced with Optimus in his arms.  
  
"Give Rhinox a hand." Rattrap ordered Dinobot  
  
"In charge, again, I see." Dinobot growled  
  
"Yah, naba choice." Rattrap said as he watched Dinobot head towards the river, then to Cheetor he said "Tell me why ya decided ta save de ungrateful Pred's processor."  
  
"I was only trying to help." Cheetor sighed  
  
Dinobot walked into the river until it came up to his waist, grabbed hold of Rhinox' out stretched hand and pulled him towards the shallow edge of the bank. Once Rhinox was in shallow water the two bots dragged Optimus onto the battle field and laid him on his back.  
  
"Optimus?" Air Razor asked, kneeling down next to her fallen leader "Optimus, can you hear me?"  
  
"Stay with us, Optimus." Tigatron urged "One blast should not take down a Prime!"  
  
Optimus moaned, but didn't open his eyes. He was soaked to the processor in the glowing liquid, but other than that he looked fine.  
  
"Let's git 'im back ta da base 'fore Mega-Butt gets iz troops tagetha fa round two." Rattrap said  
  
"Is that an order?" Dinobot growled  
  
"Only if ya gimme trouble! Now beast mode it before I kick ya sorry tail into obedience."  
  
"Say," Rhinox said, placing his hand on Tigatron's shoulder "what are we doing out here?"  
  
*****  
  
Inferno forced his way through a collection of bushes into a large clearing. He stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide and mouth open.  
  
"By the Pit!" he gasped as he looked the scene over in awe.  
  
What he saw was a mountainous waterfall cutting its way through giant slaps of multi-colored energon and falling into a glowing lake that fed the shimmering river! In front of Inferno was a forest of energon crystals every shade of the rainbow. The opposite bank was a smooth energon beach. A few giant energon chunks were scattered here and there along this beach. Inferno wondered how they got there, for the energon crystals on the right side of the river appeared to be growing out of the ground.  
  
His question was answered when he heard something crack. He looked up just in time to see a hunk of energon, weakened by the rushing river, break off the mountain and tumble towards the beach. It landed with an audio distorting CRASH on the beach below, a few shards chipped off on impact.  
  
"The Royalty will be pleased with this find!" Inferno said with a grin, transforming into robot mode. He started down into the energon forest, gun in hand and scanners on full. Tarantulus and Black Arachnia soon appeared at the edge of the energon forest and gazed down at the maze of crystals.  
  
"Can this even be possible?" Black Arachnia asked  
  
"On this planet, anything is possible." Tarantulus said slyly as he crept after Inferno  
  
Black Arachnia watched the two bots wonder through the tangle of crystals before she transformed into her robot mode and started down herself. Shortly after she went down a still confused Terrorsaur flew over head and landed on the top of one of the tallest crystals.  
  
"How could I have forgot something so simple to remember?" he asked himself  
  
"Are you still hyping over a memory glitch?" Black Arachnia demanded  
  
"Hey, memory glitches just don't HAPPEN, Lady! They're caused by something."  
  
"Yeah, old age and an obsolete program. Now change into robot mode and help us scan these crystals, Needle-Nose!"  
  
Terrorsaur narrowed his eyes angrily and lept off the crystal, changing into his robot mode in mid-air. Landing on his feet, he stomped after Black Arachnia with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Needle-Nose." he snorted  
  
Just beyond the energon beach the organic forest returned. The ground to which it clung arched suddenly and rose up into the sky, creating a rocky cliff that over looked that glowing river. A top this cliff, hiding behind a shrubbery, Waspinator and Scorpinok watched as the others studied and scanned the crystals. Both were in their robot modes.  
  
Scorpinok's claws clicked away excitedly as he plotted several hundred ways of destroying Inferno. Waspinator looked rather lost and wished he could be anywhere but where he was at that moment. He didn't like Inferno all that much, but he didn't hate him. The idea of destroying another Predicon, even if he had a Maximal's basic program, didn't feel right....not to mention scrapping Megatron's favorite servant would only dramatically shorten Waspinator's expected live span to about two nano-clicks.  
  
"Scorpinok sure Scorpinok want do this?" Waspinator asked  
  
"Ohhh, I'm sure, all right!" Scorpinok chuckled "I'm sure I'm sure! I'm sure I'm so sure I'm sure. I'm~"  
  
Waspinator slapped his hand over Scorpinok's mouth and said "Scorpinok annoying Waspinator."  
  
Scorpinok shoved Waspinator's hand off his mouth and growled, then motioned for Waspinator to keep quiet and follow close. Slowly, the two of them began to creep down towards the crystal jungle and the gleaming river. 


	4. Chapter 4: Deciding Factors

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 4; Deciding Factors  
  
The walk back to Axalon has been strange.  
  
Dinobot had remained silent the whole trip, eyes fixed on the ground in front of him and at least two deci-klicks behind the others. Cheetor's emotions were a cross-breed between anger and shame, and when spoken to he said very little. Rhinox, on the other hand, kept asking questions which Tigatron and Air Razor did their best to answer.  
  
By the time the Maximals reached Axalon, Rhinox' memory glitch was cleared up but he was confused. How did could he have forgotten? He hadn't sustained any damage because he hadn't fought and he hadn't hit his head or anything.  
  
"I must be getting old." Rhinox groaned as he laid the sleeping Optimus on his bed.  
  
"Ya no olda den me." Rattrap said, leaning on the door frame with his arms cross over his chest "En I ain' dat old."  
  
"I'm YOUNGER than you, which is why I'm worried." Rhinox snorted to himself as he exited Optimus' room with Rattrap. The two started down the dark corridors towards the Control Room, one the perfect foil of the other.  
  
"Ahh, don' cross ya wires ova dis, Rhinox." Rattrap waved off the subject with a smile "Naht like it will eva happen again. Glitches happen, even ta da best a us."  
  
"I don't know." Rhinox said. He stopped at a cross point, where the hall they were in connected to the quaters' hall. Rattrap stopped too and looked up at Rhinox with narrowed eyes  
  
"I'm gonna run a diagnostic of my systems," Rhinox said "just to make sure."  
  
"Wastin' ya time." Rattrap said  
  
"My time to waste. Will you be all right on your own?"  
  
Rattrap smirked "Dinobot's in 'iz room sulkin', Cheetor's catchin' up on 'iz readin', en Stripes en Lady-Bird are playin' chess in da Control Room. Nuhtin' I can't handle. 'Sides, I'M da leada now, which means you don't gotta worry 'bout nuhtin'....I do!"  
  
Rhinox nodded and started towards the Med-Bay. Rattrap watched until Rhinox disappeared around the corner and then he started towards his own room. He was the only one who locked his door, which was more of a habit than a form of distrust.  
  
Rattrap stepped into his room and shut the door, not bothering to turn on the lights. Taking a deep breath, he threw himself onto his bed, buried his face in his pillow and closed his optical sensors. He stayed that way for about two micro-clicks.  
  
Rattrap snorted, frustrated for a reason he wasn't about to admit, and rolled over. He gazed at the ceiling for a cycle, letting his mind wander; but when it started to ask questions he sat up and pulled a box of his belongings out from under his bed. He searched and found his sonic-sphere and proceeded to bounce it off the wall.  
  
That killed about two cycles.  
  
Rattrap tossed the sphere aside and got up with a frustrated snort. He left his room and started to walk, going where ever his feet lead him. To the training hall, to Med-Bay, to the storage rooms, to the now empty Stasis Chamber. Finally, his feet lead him into the Control Room, where he paced until Air Razor told him he was making her dizzy.  
  
That's when the temporary leader couldn't stand it any longer. Rattrap HAD to know why Dinobot accepted Megatron's challenge! Under normal circumstances, Rattrap wouldn't have given a flying saucer about Dinobot's reasoning process -- or lack there of --, but this, for some reason, was frying his logic circuits!  
  
It was so NOT Dinobot!!  
  
Though his honor was something Dinobot held to like Rattrap clung to his memories of Cybertron -- desperately -- his code of honor was basic. It wasn't so complex that it couldn't be taught, but it wasn't something one could find on a data track about codes of honor. One could never second guess Dinobot. There were no loop-holes in his honor code. Everything was black or white. That's what made him such a mystery.  
  
Because if everything was either honorable or dishonorable, why did Dinobot accept Megatron's challenge? There was no honor to be gained by fighting Megatron unless Dinobot had destroyed Megatron, and the chance had presented itself...but Dinobot did not take it.  
  
And what about the Challenge?  
  
Dinobot had said that the Challenge was sacred to the Predicons, that challenging a Maximal for Predicon honor was disgraceful, and -- from what transpired between him and Cheetor -- that the Challenge was fought ONLY between the challenged and the challenger. From personal experience, Rattrap could add that it was also disgraceful for Maximals to witness such battles....but he didn't know why.  
  
There were actually two Challenges. The Predicon Challenge, which was huge event held every so often, kinda like the Cybertron Games where one achieved fame and glory, and then Challenges held outside the Arena. When held outside the Arena, Challanges were usually fought to reclaim lost honor or to cleanse tainted glory. There were the fighters, who fought with weapons or hand-to-hand until one went into stasis lock or crash, and their witnesses. Each fighter had to have at least 3 witnesses.  
  
But, if this Challange was as sacred as Dinobot believed it to be, why did he allow the Maximals to watch? And why hadn't Megatron come with his own witnesses? Two taboos had all ready lowered the honor Dinobot could have gained, and he knew that the Maximals weren't going to stand by while he got scraped by Megatron...if it came to that, which it did. So, there was the threat of another taboo that quickly broke.  
  
Rattrap couldn't image the dishonor and the torture Dinobot was putting himself through because Cheetor and the others had saved him....he also couldn't see why Dinobot would do that to himself. Having the Maximals willing to risk their lives for him should have been seen as a compliment, that they thought of him as one of their own, as a part of their team.  
  
And what the slag was wrong with the Maximal emblem?  
  
Rattrap rubbed the back of his neck as he saw the answer to one of his own questions. Chopper-Face was still seeing things in digital technology. He still saw himself as a Predicon living from day to day by the grace of Optimus' forgiving nature. Did he even consider himself a part of the Maximal team? Or did he think he was just a POW doing what he had to do to survive? It was clear, though, that Dinobot was NEVER going to forget his basic program.  
  
So the real question was, what did Dinobot see in the challenge that Rattrap and the others missed? Maybe it wasn't the challenge that got Dinobot so worked up. Maybe it was the insults Megatron had thrown at him before the fight. And what about those insults? Who was Valnatron? And the business with Silicon Valhan? It made no sense.  
  
Another thing that was really bugging Rattrap's main-frame was what Dinobot had said about history being flawed. Censorship wasn't a problem the Transformers had...or was it? Rattrap did have a few hot-tracks from the Underground, but those were old human stories the Maximal Elders thought were too...too...well, Rattrap wasn't sure why they were pulled from circulation.  
  
Then there was that whole thing about the Decepticons fall from grace. When Obliviscor forced the Great Change, the Overseers tried to deviate the Predicons' program from the Decepticons' so as to prevent a future war...but like Optimus had said, both programs had evolved over the centuries. But was it evolution that caused the Predicons to become so war-like, so dangerous...so Decepticon? Or was it that basic program, that fated matrix, that kept the cycle of war and peace going?  
  
Rattrap shock his head in disgust. Now was not the time to get philosophical. He was a spy, not a visionary. But, was there really that big a difference between finding universal truths and cracking codes?  
  
Rattrap's processor spun these and several dozen other questions around in his head as he pounded on Dinobot's door. He was determined not to stop until the Pred opened up....or his hand fell off.  
  
"Hey! Choppa-Face!" Rattrap shouted, banging on the door "Open up! Dat's an orda!"  
  
The door opened and Rattrap entered, trying to look as stern and as in control as he could. He was greeted with darkness and a rush of cold air that froze the lubricant in his system.  
  
Dinobot's quarters were Spartan. A bed, a table, and a chair were all that made up Dinobot's room....and those had come with the ship. The skin of his clone was tacked up above his bed and a few of his personal data tracks he managed to recover from the Darkside were stacked up on the table. At first glance, one had to wonder if Dinobot planned on staying or not. First thing Cheetor had done, when he got his quarters, was decorate the walls with pictures (Rattrap and Rhinox were guilty of the same action, but they would deny it to the bitter end, with lazer fire if necessary). Maybe it was part of the Warrior's Code, that a warrior never get too attached to a place or to a group of people because both my be lost in a battle?  
  
The sudden appearance of one item proved Dinobot intended on staying. A few days after Dinobot had joined the Maximals he disappeared for about ten deca-cycles. No one saw him go, no one saw him return, there was just this gap in time when no one could find him. Later that evening, Cheetor passed by Dinobot's door and noticed it was open. Cheetor peeked inside. He could see Dinobot polishing and sharpening his rotary sword. When the Pred was satisfied with his work, he place the sword in a newly built wooden rack, designed to hold at least four swords.  
  
Further prove of Dinobot's intention to stay was when he programmed the Mattertron to make the necessary components for a rotary sword. Not the actual sword, but the raw components. Making one of those rotating monsters took a full day and that was a day Rattrap left Dinobot alone. The last thing he needed was to spend a day in the RC tank because his frame had been used to test the blade's sharpness.  
  
The sword rack, holding two of the three existing swords, was just to the right of the port window. Except for a few stray beams of daylight that crept through the broken blinds covering the port window, the room was jet black.  
  
The rays pierced the darkness. Dinobot's knelt frame was a mute silhouette against this mock twilight.  
  
"All right, Choppa-Face, I'm gonna ask en I'm only gonna ask once!" Rattrap snapped, taking a few steps towards the meditating Pred "Wha'ta slag were ya thinkin' fightin' Mega-butt! Ya TRYIN' ta get scraped or sumtin?"  
  
"My actions are none of your concern, Vermin." Dinobot's voice rumbled through the room, but he didn't move.  
  
"Oh, it's nonna my concern of course it's my concern, cuz t'anks ta you I'm in charge 'a dis circus till Fearless Leada comes to! Now don' make me pull rank on ya, cuz I will in a nano-click!"  
  
Dinobot took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  
  
"Ansa my question! Dat's en orda!"  
  
Still no response.  
  
Rattrap rolled his eyes and began to tap his foot. Anger wasn't working and even though Dinobot respected the role of leader and obeyed who ever filled that role -- with in reason -- he wasn't bending to commands this time. Rattrap bit his lip and decided to try the most painful approach he could think of; he was going to ask nicely.  
  
"Look, Choppa-Face," (he said try, didn't he?) "I ain' askin' ta harass da lubricant out a'ya, I'm askin' cuz....cuz as leada I have a right ta know. If Optimus 'ad asked~"  
  
"Had Optimus made the inquiry I would still remain taciturn." Dinobot growled "Your welcome is wearing thin, Vermin. Stay any longer and I will not be responsible for my actions."  
  
"Threats don' work wid me, Scale-Belly." Rattrap snapped  
  
"Nor Inquisitions with me."  
  
Rattrap looked down at his feet and clicked his tongue a few times, trying to come up with some way to get the Pred to talk. Maybe, indirectly?  
  
"Okay. Ya won' say nuhtin bout taday. Fine, dat's coolant in da engine. I won' ask. Buh could ya least explain why ya tried ta slag Spots!"  
  
"He interfered with the Challenge, tainting its honor and making the victory unclaimable."  
  
"Huh." Rattrap snorted "En 'ere I thought ya let Mega-butt go cuz ya wuz too chi~"  
  
Dinobot began to thrill. A deep, threatening sound that echoed through the room. Rattrap cut himself short and said "Wuz so great bout dis Challenge dat ya'd wanna slag one a ya teammates?"  
  
Dinobot's optical sensors slowly opened, filling the room with a hellish red light and bathing his frame with the color of rage. He stood and started towards the door, saying "The Challenge is a sacred tradition. I shall not defile that which I am the master."  
  
"Look, PAL!" Rattrap snapped, grabbing Dinobot by the arm and forcing him to a stand still. Rattrap was about to lose his cool. "I could care less 'bout your traditions! All I'm askin' is wha'da slag happened. Ya owe me dat much!"  
  
"I owe you nothing!" Dinobot growled, pulling his arm free and continued on to the door "I do not need to justify my action to you or any one else!" He swung the door open and took a step out.  
  
Dinobot jerked to a halt, but not by his own free will. It was as though a hand had grabbed him by the shoulders and forced me to a stand still. Dinobot gazed out into the hall with narrowed eyes, his face twisted in rage and remorse.  
  
Rattrap seized the moment.  
  
"Ya right, ya don' 'ave ta justify anythin' ta me, Choppa-Face, cuz I could careless, buh whadabout ta yaself? Ya kin shrug me en my questions off, buh ya kin't do dat wid ya consciences...if ya got one!"  
  
Dinobot took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  
  
"Sumtin's got ya steamed." Rattrap continued "Sumtin Megs said really fried ya circuits en I wanna know why en what. Mind ya, naht so I kin use it. Slag, if I wanna harass ya, I kin get my own material, buh dis ain' like you. Fa Primus' sack, jist ansa my questions en I'll leave yalone. I won' harass ya until...until Fearless Leada's back at da helm. Okay?"  
  
"Quite an incentive." Dinobot snorted and closed his eyes  
  
Dinobot continued to stand in the doorway, fighting off his own demons as they clawed at his consciences and sense of honor. Images of the past, great competitions and honored comrades washed over his memory banks like a tidal wave. When his memory defied his orders and his equal appeared, Dinobot snarled and opened his eyes.  
  
"If I answer your questions, will you swear never to repeat a single word to anyone as long as your processor is functional?" Dinobot demanded  
  
Rattrap's engine turned. Something about the way Dinobot had said that didn't sit right.  
  
"Why da slag naht?" Rattrap finally said, shrugging his shoulders. After all, what was the worst that could be told?  
  
Dinobot slowly closed the door and his eyes. The room went black. Dinobot stood like that for a click before he turned the lights on and opened his eyes, turning to face Rattrap with a very serious look on his face.  
  
"To understand what happened, you must understand the Challenge." Dinobot said "The Predicon Challenge is actually a modern term for The Elite Competition, a sacred competition among the ancient Deceptions. Its origins date back to the rule of the Quintisons, when we were nothing but battle drones and servants."  
  
"WOW! TIME OUT!" Rattrap said, waving his hands "I took History 101 when I wuz a Spark, Choppa-Face. I don't need a refresher course, alls I need ta know is why ya steamed."  
  
"If you would be patient, I shall answer your questions." Dinobot said "During the time of the Quintisons, the victor of the Challenge was granted his freedom from the gladiatorial ring. During the generations of Decepticon rule, when time allowed for it, the victor became the leader's apprentice, thus StarScream; finally, when the Autobots regained control of Cybertron and you Maximals became our' lords, the Challenge became the one relic from our past the Elders could not destroy. It was our link to the Decepticons, our ancestors, that enabled many to endure Maximal rule."  
  
"Aww, come on!" Rattrap snapped, offended "We ain' dat bad!"  
  
"With all due respect, I must say the jury is still out on that statement." Dinobot snorted "When it comes to a peaceful existence, you Maximals are excellent scientists, explorers and the like....but in times of war you are pathetic warriors."  
  
"Oh yeah? Well, whataya call dis li'le group a ours, Choppa-Face?"  
  
"The exception."  
  
Rattrap blinked and took a step back.  
  
Dinobot smirked "I'm no fool, Vermin, I know talent when I see it. While on Cybertron, I taught the younger generation of Predicons the Predicon Code of Honor, as well as how to battle on the field and in the ring. Some of the greatest warriors were trained by my hand and disciplined with my sword!.....But, there are some even I could not teach. Megatron was one such bot."  
  
"Da plot thickens." Rattrap said  
  
Dinobot nodded "I attempted to teach Megatron, but the fool was so proud of his name and heritage that he refused to listen. He believed his connection with the Decepticon Megatron made him my superior. He left training after a week, and I was glad to see him go."  
  
Rattrap smiled "So all dis is just da old Teacher/Student plot. Okay, I get it."  
  
"If you are satisfied with only HALF the story, by all means you are welcomed to leave."  
  
"Half?"  
  
"I still live, do I not. Stories do not end until the characters are dead."  
  
"Oh, there's a happy thought for ya." Rattrap moaned  
  
"I have been fighting in the Challenge since I was a Spark, but have only been Bellator Maximus for thirty five stellar cycles. Megatron's first attempt to claim the tittle as his own was my sixth Challenge, during which he nearly took my best student off-line in a daring display of stupidity and rage. We were later pitted against each other in the semi-finals....during which I made him pay for her injuries."  
  
"Her? Dis best student a yours....dis dat Valnatron Megs mentioned?"  
  
Dinobot took a deep breath and hesitated. He didn't want to answer that question. After a few clicks, he managed "That is correct."  
  
"Name sounds familiar." Rattrap muttered, rubbing the back of his neck  
  
"When Megatron and I fought he showed no remorse for his actions and had he not been ordered to stop by the TriPredacus Council Valnatron would be dead. Megatron ultimately lost at my hands, her honor was partically restored, but that was a battle I will never forget. My seventh and final challenge, for this "adventure" has kept me from the most recent, also had me pitted against Megatron. It was his reliance on weaponry rather than his own strength that cost him that victory. He has not learned that a true warrior's strength exists in his mind, in his spark, not in the weapons he carries."  
  
"As interestin' as dis is," Rattrap interrupted "it still don' 'splain why ya'septed Mega-butt's challenge, unless ya reason was revenge."  
  
"Fighting Megatron to regain one of my student's honor would be disgraceful to that student. It would suggest that I had little faith in them as warriors and in my skill as a teacher. Unless given the student's permission, I can not fight for them...any of them."  
  
"Okay, den stap circling my question like a lion does a wounded antelope!" Rattrap snapped "Why'd ya fight Megatron? Naht ta teach him a lesson, naht fa revenge, den fa what?"  
  
Dinobot snorted, "You have heard of Silicon Valhan?"  
  
"Yeah, dat's where ya store da remains 'a ya dead heroes, right?" Rattrap cringed and shivered in disgust "En might I add, on a personal note, jist how disgustin' dat is?!? Honestly, kin't ya jist build monuments like we do. Ya 'ave ta go en leave deir remains out fa every bot ta see!"  
  
"It is an honor to be admitted into those sacred halls!" Dinobot snapped  
  
"So long as sumbody goes in ta dust every now en den." Rattrap moaned  
  
"Only the greatest warriors can be admitted into the halls! Warriors of great virtue and military genius! Warriors who have brought to the Predicon name and Decepticon heritage glory, fear, respect! Warriors who have lived and died by the code of honor burned into their basic program!"  
  
Rattrap blinked. He was beginning to wish he had just let Dinobot leave the room. This was getting into the whole "whose right/whose wrong" argument Rattrap never really enjoyed thinking about. He was used to hearing the Maximals' version of history; Decepticons were evil, so Preds were evil and should never be allowed to rule because they are evil. But now Dinobot, a Pred who wasn't all that bad (though Rattrap was NEVER going to admit that to ANYONE), was showing another side of history; Decepticons were warriors by program. They had to fight, so Preds had to fight. It was their basic program. They couldn't change that. But Dinobot seemed to be getting along pretty well in a non-bellicose environment and the Maximals were turning out to be great...okay warriors, so~  
  
Rattrap didn't like the pictures the two histories were painting. Neither one was right. He also didn't like this sudden openness on Dinobot's behalf. Never, never had Dinobot spoken about his past, or anything for that matter. If it wasn't related to the war, he didn't say anything. The Pred was a warrior, a introspective loner and it appeared he had always been that way. So why was he talking? Something wasn't right.  
  
Dinobot's face, animated during his speech by ancestral pride, faded back to its look of apathy and the fire in his eyes died. He turned his eyes towards the table next to his bed and let his gaze fall on a corroded data track, bent by time and nicked from use. Dinobot walked over, picked up a the track and turned it on. The track didn't hum, it purred, and the screen sparked a few times before it lit up, casting a green light on Dinobot's face.  
  
"Megatron was never a brilliant warrior," Dinobot said "never one to follow codes of honor. He always wanted to take the short way to victory, the less rewarding but simpler way. That was why he stole the Golden Disk, it was a short way to his domination of Cybertron."  
  
Dinobot skimmed the track for a moment, his eyes echoed with sorrow and regret. He sighed in disgust and threw the track down on his bed. It bounced and rolled to a stop, face down, but Rattrap had caught a glimpse of the screen. Just a glimpse, and then it was gone.  
  
"I'm still here, ya know." Rattrap said  
  
"That fact is hard to forget, Vermin." Dinobot snapped as he started back towards the door, glaring at Rattrap as he passed him "I trust, in vain, that you will keep that trap of yours closed, Rat! The fact alone that I have entrusted you with a part of my history is enough of a punishment than to have the entire ship know my weakness."  
  
"Weakness?" Rattrap asked "Ya ain' said nuhtin dat interestin', Choppa-Face."  
  
Dinobot stopped at the door and turned to face Rattrap, his eyes narrowed and his face stern.  
  
"En ya still haven' answered my question."  
  
The look on the Pred's face told Rattrap the answer to his question had been given...but was hidden in the fragmented history lesson.  
  
Rattrap clenched his fists and snapped "I ain' one fa riddles, Choppa-Face, en I don' 'ave time ta solve yours! Now tell me straight out why ya fough' Megatron!"  
  
Dinobot opened the door, his eyes focused on the enraged Rattrap as he stepped out...and ran head long into Cheetor, who was storming into the room with a data track clenched in his hand.  
  
"By the Pit, will I never be rid of you!" Dinobot demanded "What do you want?"  
  
"An answer! Why are you so steamed at me for savin' your skidplates?"  
  
"You interfered with a Challenge!" Dinobot growled, stepping out into the hallway.  
  
Cheetor took a few steps back until his back was against the wall. He glared defiantly into the warrior's eyes as Rattrap followed them out and leaned against the opposite wall, arms crossed over his chest.  
  
Dinobot continued "The Predicon Challenge is not a game, Cheetor! It is not something to be taken lightly! It is an event that draws hundreds of the most accomplished warriors to Cybertron and the honors bestowed on the victor are honors seconded only by a glorious death on the battle field! Your interference was an insult to my skill and heritage."  
  
"I've been doing some research on this Challenge of yours," Cheetor said, handing Dinobot the data track then crossing his arms over his chest "and this is what I found!"  
  
Dinobot took the data track angrily and glared at the screen. His expression softened as he read the data track. He sighed and handed the track back to Cheetor, saying "I am the Master of the Challenge, Cheetor, I know the rules by heart."  
  
"Like ya got one." Rattrap said, rolling his eyes  
  
"You know the rules, then tell me what they say about weapons." Cheetor demanded, taking the track from Dinobot "From memory!"  
  
Dinobot turned away.  
  
"I found this information in an Econ Report, so you can't say the Challenge is sacred to the point of secrecy!"  
  
"No need to be rude." Dinobot snapped  
  
"If YOU won't tell ME, then I'LL tell YOU!" Cheetor snapped "The rules state 'any weapon can'....No wait, 'any weapon may'...Hang on." Cheetor scrolled down the track until he found the passage "Here it is 'Along the lines of weapons, let it here by be known that any blade may be used, any blaster may be fired, any energy based or formed weapon may be brought into the ring so long as the remains of the loser, should the battle result in termination, can be properly recycled'.....and there's another rule somewhere that says the bot who deletes his opponent is disqualified, but that's not part of my point."  
  
"Geez, Cheetor," Rattrap said "dis whatya been doin'?"  
  
"Megatron was using an energon crystal to directly boost his lazer power by fracturing the energy source," Cheetor continued "separating the weaker frequencies from the stronger ones! That method of energy fracturing was outlawed over two centuries ago because the stronger frequencies, without the weaker ones to nullify them, give off radiation that caused deadly mutation in sparks and frames."  
  
"Where, exactly, is this going?" Dinobot asked  
  
"With all that being said," Cheetor said "how can you claim I did you a dishonor by interfering when Megatron all ready tainted that honor by cheating! Twice!"  
  
Dinobot was silent. His eyes were narrowed, his face stern. He seemed to be thinking, piecing together everything that he knew with what he was told.  
  
"Come on, Dinobot," Cheetor urged "what's really frying your circuits? What gives?"  
  
Dinobot blinked, then quietly started off down the hall towards the Command Center. Rattrap and Cheetor watched Dinobot until he disappeared around the corner, then turned towards each other and shrugged. This was going to be a long day.  
  
Maybe Optimus could get the Pred to talk in something other then riddles.  
  
  
Optimus tossed and turned in his bed. His mind twisted and turned, trying to find an exit to the void in which he swam. His memories were blurred, his history track hidden, and his reasoning hindered.  
  
Who was he? Where was he? Why was he there?  
  
He remember water, blue and glowing, surrounding him and filling his body as he tried to take a breath to call for help. He remembered the jungle, lush and green, and the swaying trees that cooled the ground. And he remembered...his kind. The gorillas...the Silverback...his family...A raptor attacking a young male and a cheetah and snow white tiger crouching near by. His family was in danger! He had to get back! At all costs.  
  
Optimus' eyes shot open and he sat up with a yelp. He looked around at the alien room and cautiously got off the bed. On all fours he crept around the room, looking each object over with the curiosity of a child. Nothing looked familiar.  
  
How he knew where the door was and how to open it were questions Optimus chose not to answer. He didn't what to know. He crept down the hall, looking the walls over with a sense of awe and fear. Suddenly, he heard voices and from around a corner came the white tiger accompanied by a giant hawk.  
  
Optimus let out a loud bark of surprise as the animals faced him.  
  
"Optimus," Air Razor said "you're up. You must be feeling better."  
  
"How are you feeling, Friend?" Tigatron asked  
  
Optimus slowly back away, teeth bared and growling. Tigatron and Air Razor looked at each other in confusion.  
  
"Optimus, is something wrong?" Air Razor asked  
  
Optimus continued to back away.  
  
Tigatron took a few steps towards Optimus, saying "Optimus, what has happened to~"  
  
Optimus let out a loud howl and charged at Tigatron, ramming into him and sending him flying into Air Razor. The two tumbled back into a heap as Optimus rose to his hind legs and pounded his chest in triumph. Tigatron and Air Razor untangled themselves from each other and changed into their robot modes. Frightened at the sight, Optimus took off down a near by corridor.  
  
"Optimus, wait!" Air Razor shouted  
  
"Tigatron to Optimus, come in please!" Tigatron said into the comlink, but there wasn't even the sound of static  
  
"His communicator must have shorted out." Air Razor said  
  
"That is not the only thing that has suffered damage." Tigatron said grimly, changing the comlink's wave "Tigatron to Rattrap, we have a situation."  
  
Optimus raced down the corridor, passed open and shut doors, passed control panels and alien message boards. A terrifying maze of metal was laid out before him as he turned this way and that, trying to find a way out. Suddenly, Cheetor lept out from the shadows and blocked his path. Optimus let out a howl and rose to his back legs, pounding on his chest in hopes of scaring Cheetor off.  
  
"Cool it, Big-Bot, it's me, Cheetor!" Cheetor said, holding up and out his hands  
  
Optimus dropped to all fours and turned to go back the way he came. There stood Rhinox.  
  
"Easy, Optimus. It's only Rhinox. No one dangerous." Rhinox said, taking a few steps closer to Optimus.  
  
Optimus growled and turned to go down the hall to his left. Tigatron and Air Razor blocked his path. To his right was a solid wall of metal.  
  
"Just keep it together, Big Bot." Cheetor said "We won't hurt you." Cheetor advanced towards Optimus snorted, but made no threatening movements.  
  
"Don't get too close, Cheetor. We don't know what he'll do." Rhinox warned  
  
"Ah, come on, Rhinox!" Cheetor protested "He's not an animal, he's our old pal Opti~"  
  
Cheetor's protest was cut short as Optimus lounged and knocked Cheetor flat on his back, then took off down the corridor. Air Razor and Tigatron raced after Optimus as Rhinox stood over the dazed Cheetor with a frown on his face.  
  
"Any thing else you'd like to say?" Rhinox asked  
  
"Yeah. What the heck's going on?" Cheetor groaned  
  
Optimus raced down the hall and into the Command Center. Dinobot stood in front of elevator, sword in hand and eyes glowing. Optimus took two steps back and stopped, looking Dinobot over with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Come, Optimus Primal!" Dinobot challenged "The only exit is through me, and I am not about to move!"  
  
Optimus started to advance towards Dinobot, taking short, slow steps. Had he looked up he would have seen Rattrap hanging up-side-down by his legs on one of the over head pipes, waiting for Optimus to get beneath him. In his hand he held a tranquilizer gun.  
  
"Come on." Rattrap said quietly as Optimus crept onwards "A li'le ta da left...., my left....dat's it....hold...it....GOTCHA!"  
  
Rattrap fired, hitting Optimus right in the back of the neck. Optimus rose to his hind feet and howled angrily. Rattrap fired again but the dart whistled right passed Optimus' ear and lodged itself in Dinobot's left arm. Dinobot winced and shot an angry glare at Rattrap, who smiled sheepishly and shrugged.  
  
Optimus grabbed a near by chair, tearing it up from the floor, and hurled it at Dinobot. All ready the tranquilizer was blurring Dinobot's vision, but he still had enough sense to knock the chair away with his sword, cutting it in two. Optimus charged and knocked Dinobot through the glass paneling that covered the elevator. Dinobot's arm hit the control panel as he slammed into the back of the elevator and it started to descend. Once Optimus caught sight of the outside he lept off the still descending lift and raced off.  
  
As the elevator hit the ground, a very dazed Dinobot forced himself up on one elbow and watched Optimus race off towards the jungle. The sun was setting in the distance, casting shades of red and black over the land.  
  
Dinobot groaned as he pulled the dart out of his arm. Though one dart was only as long as Dinobot's longest talon, there was enough juice in them to put Devistator in stasis. Dinobot snorted at his worsening luck as he forced himself to his feet.  
  
Rattrap dropped from the ceiling and raced towards the elevator shaft. He skid to a halt at the edge of the shaft and, peering down, said "Uhh.....sorry."  
  
Dinobot snorted and collapsed.  
  
AUTHOR'S HISTORY: (here's an explaintion to some of Rattrap's thoughts, based on a Cybertronian history I created.)  
  
The Obliviscor Virus was a human computer virus that affected both the Autobot and Decepticon program, deleting thousands (similar to our Black Plague). It was created by Samantha Claus, step-daughter of Daniel Witwicky, to avenge the wounding of her half-brother Chris. She became a Purist, a human who believed mankind should not have contact with alien life forms because it hindered humanities own growth by handing them technologies rather than letting them discover it for themselves, and hated the Autobots and Decepticons equally.  
  
At the height of this "plague", a committee of Autobots and Decepticons was chosen. They were called the Overseers, and it was they who initiated the Great Change; the reprogramming of all Autobots to Maximals and Decepticons to Predicons. A side effect from this up-grade was the creation of the Spark.  
  
The general idea for the Spark, the essence of a Transformer's being, was nothing new. However, their essence was spread through out their bodies, like the human soul. The up-grade pulled all the essence together into an orb which gave the transformer the spark they needed to live.  
  
The Overseers did not stop at the up-grade. They also decided to cut off all contact with the humans to avoid any further "plagues" from happening. The Overseers also began censoring history tracks, to ensure peace between Maximal and Predicon. As time passed, the Overseers split into the Maximal Elders and the Tri-Predacus Council. The Maximal Elders continued to censor history, attempting to deprive the Predicons of any knowledge about their Deception heritage, but this also ment editing Maximal history. One set of pure history files were kept in the Archives on Cybertron under priority one security measures, while edited versions of these files were released to the public.  
  
This censoring of history crossed a lot of bot's circuits and so a group of Predicon hackers got together and created the Underground. They managed to break into the Archives and copy all the history files. They downloaded these files into a unit they called Optica. Optica was then hidden in an underground city called The Datastream, some thirty or forty deca-klicks from Cybertopolis. The Underground originally kept the information to themselves, but as history was edited more and more, even these Predicons couldn't take it. Decepticons wouldn't have cared, but Predicons were programmed for honor.  
  
The Underground branched, creating two other sites called Octocon and Sierra. Octocon was located just beneath Iocon and using the ancient archive of Iocon as a channeling tool, Octocon became the starting point of the Forbidden Data Stream. The stream, called FeDS, worked like this. Octocon, through the Iocon archive, would tap into the Archive in Cybertropolis. Since the wavelength of Iocon's archive was so old it was hard to detect by Archive security and thus made hacking much easier. The Octocon team would copy the newly forbidden files, or files in demand, and send them to The DataStream. At the Stream, Optica would make sure the history was pure, then send the uncorrupted data to Sierra. There the data was downloaded onto data tracks and through a chain of Undergrounders (called The Chaingang) so complicated even Obsidion couldn't track it the Predicons would get the tracks to Cybertropolis and sell them...but not for cheap. 


	5. Chapter 5: As Night Falls

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 5; As Night Falls  
  
"Move faster, you fools!" Inferno snarled, heaving a huge energon crystal onto his shoulders "The Royalty expects us back at the colony by dark!"  
  
"Yah, yah, yah." Terrorsaur sighed, reclining on a pile of energon crystals shaped like a couch. "All in good time."  
  
"Not in good time, Terrorsaur, now!" Inferno snapped, approaching the defiant Predicon "The sun will soon be gone and we have yet to deliver any of the riches to the colony!"  
  
"Get to your feet and give us a hand, Needle-Nose." Black Arachnia growled  
  
"Hey, what's the rush?" Terrorsaur asked coolly "There's always tomorrow."  
  
Terrorsaur picked up a tiny crystal rod and struck it against one of the bigger crystals. It let out a low humming sound that quickly set some of the other crystals singing. They were perfectly pitched and as heavenly as any divine instrument should be. Nothing built by machine or by hand could sound so beautiful, so pure.  
  
Or send Tarantulus' equipment into an electronic frenzy so fast. The scanners sparked and the charger hissed!  
  
"Will you stop that!" Tarantulus snarled "I am trying to conduct scientific research!"  
  
"SILENCE!" Terrorsaur thundered "The Muses are speaking to me."  
  
"Yeah, your being spoken to, all right." Black Arachnia groaned  
  
"They sing to me, sweetly." Terrorsaur said, conducting an imaginary orchestra "They fill me with inspiration. I shall compose a song in honor of our lovely young she-spider; the Blackest Poison of the Predicon Empire."  
  
Black Arachnia narrowed her eyes "You powered up on some of the energon, didn't you?"  
  
Terrorsaur grinned and stretched out on his 'couch' to soak in the last rays of the sun.  
  
"Why am I not surprised?" Tarantulus sighed  
  
"Don't you remember what happened to the Decepticons when they took an energon holiday?" Black Arachnia demanded  
  
"That was then, this is now." Terrorsaur said, waving the statement off.  
  
"Well," Inferno said, straightening and started towards the jungle "now we know the identity of our weakest link."  
  
Tarantulus shock his head and continued to scan the crystals. There was something about their atomic structure that he didn't like. It appeared to be stable, but every now and again that stability would collapse and the crystal would flash. Tarantulus adjusted his scanners and tried to identify the problem.  
  
"What ya doin', Partner?" Black Arachnia asked, coming over to Tarantulus  
  
"First of all, I am not your partner." Tarantulus sighed, preoccupied "Secondly, I'm trying to identify the source of this Gemini Flux I keep seeing."  
  
Inferno stopped in the middle of a clearing in the Crystal Forests and turned back towards Tarantulus, his crystal perfectly balanced on his shoulders.  
  
"Gemini Flux?" Inferno asked  
  
"Who's he?" Terrorsaur asked "Someone we know?"  
  
"What's a Gemini Flux?" Black Arachnia added  
  
"Ohh, put the word parts together, you half-witted Widow! 'Gemini' means "two or twin" and 'flux' means "a dramatic change in the positive or negative direction"! Thus a 'Gemini Flux' is a sudden change in a power source from stable to unstable then back to stable. These crystals are fluxing quiet regularly. One moment they're stable, then they're as explosive as 20 tons of dynamite, and just as suddenly as they become charged they are suddenly stable. Gemini Fluxes are rare in energon and its ions, but are quiet common in other power sources we have found."  
  
"What causes this flux?" Black Arachnia asked. In the background, she could hear Terrorsaur's rich baritone echo amoung the crystals.  
  
"The first flux is caused by an atomical impurity, such as too many neutrons in the energon atom or traces of other unstable elements, and the second flux is caused by some outside force. This outside force, however, must be extremely powerful in order to keep nature at bay, and when it fails to be stronger, the energon fluxes back to being unstable. Something is keeping these crystals for blowing like Unicron after the Matrix was opened, but I'm not sure what that is."  
  
"Who cares?" Terrorsaur sighed "As long as they stay stable, we can use them."  
  
"How long they stay stable and what keeps them that way are matters we should care about, you blank!" Tarantulus snapped "Especially if we plan to convert these crystals into a power source we can use!"  
  
"Whatever." came the reply  
  
"You're so worthless." Black Arachnia snapped "I don't understand why Megatron keeps you around."  
  
"For the same reason he keeps you, Sugarbot; he needs the troops."  
  
As this conversation took place, Waspinator and Scorpinok were putting the final touches on their master plan. Scorpinok had cut down a massive tree, stripped it of its branches, and hauled it to the top of the cliff as Waspinator had cut about twenty vines from the forest. With these items the two Predicons had come up with a very sophisticated looking battering ram which they suspended over the Crystal Forest.  
  
Waspinator buzzed around the tree tops, making sure the vines were holding, as Scorpinok lined the log up with Inferno.  
  
"This stupid idea." Waspinator sighed, landing next to Scorpinok.  
  
Scorpinok paid him little attention, he was lining Inferno up with the log, his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth. When the log and Inferno were lined up perfectly, Scorpinok handed Waspinator the main support vine and said "Tie that to the tree, will ya? Nice and tight, we don't want this thing getting away from us just yet."  
  
Waspinator stomped over to the tree and did as he was told, grumbling all the while. "Stupid plan. Giant battering ram plan never works. Giant, FLYING battering ram even stupider idea that giant battering ram."  
  
"I didn't hear you give any better suggestions." Scorpinok snapped  
  
"Scorpinok did not ask Waspinator for better suggestion!" Waspinator growled, turning towards Scorpinok...leaving the vine improperly tied.  
  
"Quit whining, will ya?" Scorpinok hissed, motioning for Waspinator to keep his voice down "As soon as we crush the ant's spark chamber everything will be back to normal."  
  
The knot began to slip.  
  
"Waspinator not want to smash Antbot's spark chamber!" Waspinator whined "Waspinator want to leave well enough alone!"  
  
"We're in this together, Buzz-Brain." Scorpinok snapped. "There's no turning back!"  
  
The knot continued to slid free from itself. The log began to sway in the breeze.  
  
"Can't Scorpinok and Waspinator just give Antbot back to Maximals? Why have we to crush Antbot's spark chamber?" Waspinator groaned  
  
"What? And give the Maximals a new recruit? Have you lost what little common sense you have?"  
  
"Waspinator not want to delete Predicon. Want to delete Maximal."  
  
"Then pretend he's a Maximal and help me delete him!" Scorpinok growled through gritted teeth. The log above his head was swing like a pendulum  
  
"No! Waspinator not traitor!" Waspinator stomped his foot on the ground as hard as he could.  
  
The knot unraveled and the battering ram was set into motion. It slowly sailed down towards the Valley, towards Inferno. As it picked up speed it sliced the air with an ear splitting scream. Waspinator and Scorpinok watched as the log arched towards the forest and Inferno turn to face it.  
  
Inferno blinked, not sure what to make of what he saw. He cocked his head and blinked again before he dropped his crystal and dove to the ground. The log rushed over him with a thunderous WHOOSH, missing him by a nano-klick. At the sound of the rushing log, Terrorsaur lept off his couch and staggered towards the clearing to see what was going on. Black Arachnia followed.  
  
The log continued to swing, arching up towards the tree tops on the other side of the Valley, when the support vines began to snap. The rear of the log started to spin to the left and arch down. As the log started to swing back, Terrorsaur raced into the clearing.  
  
"What's going on! Is it a Maximal attack!" Terrorsaur shouted. He turned just in time to see the rear of the log kiss his face.  
  
Black Arachnia skid to a halt at the edge of the clearing just in time to see Terrorsaur go flying. He spiraled through the air and landed in the river with a loud SPLASH! The remaining vines snapped and the log crashed into the river, sending a wall of glowing water racing towards the valley, a gentle mist preceding it. Black Arachnia quickly spun herself a giant umbrella and raised it above her head. Inferno had just enough time to scramble behind Black Arachnia before the glowing wave crashed into the clearing.  
  
Waspinator and Scorpinok turned towards each other then back towards the valley. The river rippled and raged as the log bobbed back to the surface and started to float down stream. As the glowing water receded to the lake, Black Arachnia closed her umbrella and turned her burning eyes towards the giant Ant cowering behind her. Realizing the danger had passed and that he was dry, Inferno straightened up and saluted his thanks. Black Arachnia slammed her umbrella in his chest and called him a coward.  
  
Some cycles had passed before Waspinator turned towards the stunned Scorpinok and began to tap him on the shoulder.  
  
"What?" Scorpinok managed to whisper  
  
"Where Terrorsaur?" Waspinator asked  
  
Scorpinok shrugged, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he fainted.  
  
*****  
  
Optimus dragged himself through the forest. He was finally feeling the affects of the tranquilizer dart, but he wasn't about to give up on finding his family. With his eyes half closed and his mind spinning like a tornado, Optimus lumbered on through the jungle. The jungle was filling with the sounds of night as the sun's last few rays faded.  
  
Suddenly, a loud roar ripped through the forest behind Optimus. Optimus turned with a start, but saw nothing. Optimus snorted and started back on this journey, though he was half asleep. He managed to go five more klicks before he collapsed. The wind tore the jungle leaves from their branches and let them float playfully towards Optimus.  
  
The underbrush shuttered as two she-leopards, hungry and tired, emerged from the shadows. They spotted Optimus and stopped, shocked and amused by their good luck. They sniffed at the sleeping ape, licked his hands and face, then took a few steps back to see if he would respond.  
  
Optimus didn't move.  
  
The younger of the two she-leopards smiled as she started towards Optimus, her ivory teeth bared. Her older sister kept her distance and meowed for her to do the same. This beast wasn't normal. He wasn't warm like all the other animals. His skin was cold and beneath his flesh was a harder, colder substance. The young she-leopard ignored her sister and neared the sleeping ape, licking her lips.  
  
A great roar rippled through the forest. The she-leopards looked up to see Silverback come charging out of the forest. He howled and bore his teeth as he slammed into the young she-leopard and sent her tumbling back towards her sister. The two she-leopards growled and crept towards the aged gorilla with the intent of making him their entree. Silverback rose up on his hind legs and pounded his chest, letting out an unearthly howl. The forest shuttered as Silverback charged the two leopards.  
  
The young she-leopard lept at the charging gorilla, knocking him down. The two beasts wrestled for a while, before the leopard pinned the old gorilla down. She bore her ivory teeth and went to bit Silverback's neck. Silverback roared as he slammed his giant fist into the face of his attacker. The younger she-leopard was sent flying. She crashed to the ground, tumbling a few feet before she got up, tail between her legs, and darted off into the forest.  
  
The older she-leopard was not so easily frightened.  
  
Silverback got to his feet and faced the older she-leopard, who approached him slowly. The two glared at each other for a moment, their eyes burning. The she-leopard's muscles tightened as she prepared to pounce, bearing her claws in anticipation of the kill to come.  
  
The she-leopard lounged! Silverback charged! Silverback rammed his shoulder in the gut of the she-leopard, forcing her back. As soon as she hit the forest floor, the leopard was charging the old gorilla. She made a swipe at him, ripping a giant scar into his shoulder. Silverback staggered back with a howl of pain and the she-leopard pounced. Silverback clasped his hands together in a double fist and swung.  
  
The she-leopard fell back, unconscious.  
  
Silverback dropped back down to all fours, touched his wounded shoulder, then turned towards the sleeping Optimus. Silverback approached Optimus very slowly, he was beginning to fell his age. Silverback nudged Optimus with his hand, but Optimus did not move. Silverback grunted and barked at Optimus, trying to get him to respond. The only sound was Optimus' gentle breathing. Silverback grabbed Optimus by one arm and draped the sleeping gorilla over his back. Slowly, carefully, Silverback started back into the jungle. Started back towards his clan with a new member, his new apprentice.  
  
*****  
  
"Let me get this straight." Megatron sighed, rubbing his throbbing temples "Terrorsaur suffered a series of memory glitches while you were coming here, then overdosed on energon, and, finally, was knocked into the river, from which he has yet to emerge...by a flying tree."  
  
Inferno nodded enthusiastically and grinned from audio sensor to audio sensor. Black Arachnia shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her eyes fixed on her kaleidoscopic reflection in the crystal ground beneath her feet. Tarantulus looked up from his scanning equipment long enough to see Megatron lower his hand from his forehead and gaze at the two Predicons before him.  
  
"HOW STUPID DO YOU THINK I AM!?" Megatron thundered. His echoed voice shock a series of crystals from their foundations, tumbling from the top of the water fall into the rushing river below.  
  
"Do you want an honest answer?" Black Arachnia asked, looking up into the eyes of her leader  
  
"Why have you not gone after him?" Megatron demanded  
  
"He's defective, obsolete and useless!"  
  
"He is a Predicon and until we have lowered the number of Maximals from seven to six he will never be obsolete...Useless, on the other hand."  
  
"The river is flowing towards the sector where Waspinator and Scorpinok are collecting the crystals shards." Tarantulus said, adjusting his scanner "They'll pull him out ...if they know to look for him."  
  
"Megatron to Waspinator! Answer me!" Megatron boomed into his comlink. His voice resounded and echoed through the crystal valley.  
  
"Waspinator here." Waspinator's voice replied meekly, quietly  
  
"It would appear that Terrorsaur was a little...careless while he was collecting the crystals and fell in the river."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Oh? That's all you can say? Oh?"  
  
"Terrorsaur can swim."  
  
"That's not the point! No!"  
  
"That's not the point! No!" Echo hollered at Megatron.  
  
The echo was too clear to be reflected off the crystals. It almost sounded as though Megatron's voice was being sent through speakers pointed right at the valley. Black Arachnia narrowed her eyes and scanned the valley's rim as Megatron continued.  
  
"The point is he has yet to return. I want you and Scorpinok to keep an eye open for that fool's drenched frame as you're collect those energon fragments and~"  
  
"We finished." Waspinator buzzed quietly  
  
"What?" Megatron brought the comlink closer to his ear "Speak up!!"  
  
"We finished task long ago." The volume barely increased  
  
"Then scan the banks of the river! Find Terrorsaur and bring his drunken frame to me at once! We will wait for you here. Megatron out!"  
  
Waspinator clicked off his comlink and watched the valley from his perch in the trees that lined the cliff. He watched and waited. After berating Inferno for not going after Terrorsaur, Megatron started off into the crystal valley. Inferno followed, asking how he could redeem himself. Black Arachnia glared up at the cliff, and at one point right at Waspinator, before she returned to Tarantulus' side. Waspinator signed and lept out of the tree, landing next to the still unconscious Scorpinok.  
  
"Scorpinok." Waspinator shock Scorpinok gently "Scorpinok, get up."  
  
Scorpinok didn't respond. Enraged, Waspinator shock Scorpinok as hard as he could. Scorpinok's eyes flashed open and he sat up with a start.  
  
"Who, what, where, when~" he started to jabber, but Waspinator slammed his hand over Scorpinok's mouth and hissed at him to be quiet.  
  
"Megatron." Waspinator pointed towards the valley. Scorpinok's eyes started to roll into the back of his head, but Waspinator shock him out of his faint.  
  
"Scorpinok get Waspinator in trouble. Terrorsaur missing. Waspinator and Scorpinok ordered to find Terrorsaur and bring Terrorsaur to Megatron. Terrorsaur should be down near Energon River. Megatron not leave valley until we bring Terrorsaur to him."  
  
Scorpinok blinked.  
  
"Scorpinok getting any of this?"  
  
"Ye....Yeah, I got it." Scorpinok said, getting to his feet. "I guess we do as we're told, then."  
  
Waspinator nodded and the two changed into their beast modes and started off into the forest. Below, the river glowed a heavenly blue as it whipped and wove its way through the valley and jungle. It raced and raged for the first two miles, then calmed to a gentle murmur.  
  
Where the forest faded into meadow, where the river split into two glowing streams, Terrorsaur's limp frame lay on the banks. Soaked to the very spark chamber in the glowing blue liquid, Terrorsaur slept soundly on a bed of tall grass.  
  
Night drifted on and as it left the sky it took Memory with it. 


	6. Chapter 6: The Student and the Master

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 6; The Student and the Master  
  
Again the dawn broke over the hills.  
  
Again the mist rose above the forest floor.  
  
Again the Maximals trudged through the dense underbrush.  
  
Cheetor had his nose pressed to the ground, trying to pick up Optimus' scent. Rattrap and Tigatron followed a few nano-klicks behind him. Dinobot, still groggy from the sedative, followed behind them with Air Razor at his side. Bringing up the rear was Rhinox. They were all in beast mode.  
  
"Aww, man." Cheetor groaned "I'm a cat, not a dog! You want a tracker, let's wait until another protoform falls and give him the beast mode of a dog."  
  
"What makes you so sure it will be a 'he'?" Air Razor asked  
  
"No offense, Razor." Cheetor said, lifting his head up from the ground "I'm just saying~"  
  
"We don't have the time to wait." Rhinox said "The next protoform to crash won't do so for another month."  
  
"En I do NAHT wanna be leada fa dat long!" Rattrap snapped  
  
"Then why not hand the responsibility over to one who can handle it, Vermin?" Dinobot demanded  
  
"Cuz Rhinox all ready turned it down." Rattrap said sourly  
  
Dinobot snarled and shock his head.  
  
"Say, how come we're not using the scanners to find Optimus?" Cheetor asked "The energon field in this area isn't that strong, they should work just fine."  
  
"What," Rhinox smirked "and miss this opportunity to explore our beast modes?"  
  
"Yeah, who knows it might give us an uppa-hand 'gainst Megabutt!" Rattrap laughed  
  
An ear shattering roar pierced the morning air as Cheetor whirled around and pounced on Rattrap, claws bared and teeth showing. He young Maximal pinned Rattrap to the ground and growled  
  
"That was not funny!" Cheetor roared  
  
"Wow! Hey! Cool it, Spots!" Rattrap yelled as Rhinox raced over to stop the mounting fight.  
  
Rhinox shoved Cheetor away from Rattrap and back a few feet. The young Maximal snarled at Rhinox and snorted. Dinobot rose one brow, intrigued by Cheetor's sudden ferosity...but not surprised.  
  
"Back down, Cheetor! What's gotten into you!!" Rhinox demanded  
  
"Geez," Rattrap hissed, getting to his feet "what's your design flaw?"  
  
"Optimus could be hurt," Cheetor growled "or worse!! He could have been captured by the Predicons or gone off line!! He could be in danger right now and you two are making JOKES!! You're his best friends! You've known him longer than any of us and you're making jokes!"  
  
"We make jokes BECAUSE we know Optimus that well." Rhinox explained "They're harmless pokes at his personality, we used to do that all the time when we were Spark, and if it kills the mounting tension in a situation we'll do it now. So, just calm down and don't take everything so personally."  
  
"Harmless?!?" Cheetor gasped "They're only harmless when the bot you're poking fun at is with you! When it's behind their back it's slander!!"  
  
"You betta bite ya tongue while ya still have it, Kiddo." Rattrap growled  
  
Cheetor snorted and turned away.  
  
"We know you are worried about Optimus, Cheetor," Tigatron said "We all concerned for his well being~"  
  
"Then this is no time to be making jokes." Cheetor snorted, turning towards Tigatron "This is serious!"  
  
"Ya think we don' know dat?" Rattrap demanded  
  
"You sure don't ACT like you do! You're the leader, now, you're SUPPOSED to be serious!"  
  
"Well, since you seem ta know so much 'bout bein' a leader, Pussy-Cat, den why don't YOU take ova!!"  
  
"ENOUGH!" Dinobot's voice rumbled through the jungle sending birds flying off in a panic.  
  
Cheetor, Rattrap, Tigatron and Rhinox lifted their heads and looked the old warrior in the eyes. Dinobot stomped over to the bickering Maximals, disgusted, and snarled at them. Cheetor took a few steps back, remembering Dinobot's eariler threat.  
  
"How easily you Maximals fall apart under new leadership!!" Dinobot growled "It is a miracle your program has lasted so long as rulers of Cybertron!!! Now, heed the voice of experience or fall to it's might!!" Dinobot pointed towards the dark jungle and trilled. "THAT is where we will find Optimus. Somewhere in that mass of vegetation is our leader and it is our mission to find him!! THAT is what you should be concentrating on and THAT is goal for which you should aim!!"  
  
"Heh, dis from a Pred." Rattrap snorted  
  
"A Predicon who knows the chain of command and who wishes it to return to normal, yes." Dinobot snorted "You said yourself that you do not wish to retain this post, so you of all bots should not be instigating a fracture in our ranks that could KEEP you in said position....which is where you will remain if Optimus goes off line. Now, put your emotion chips in neutral and focus on the mission at hand!"  
  
"Dinobot is right." Tigatron added "Now is not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves. We must find Optimus before anything happens to him."  
  
"I know that," Cheetor snorted "tell that to them."  
  
"I wonder what caused Optimus to go ape." Air Razor said to herself, not having paid any attention to the argument. The others turned towards Air Razor, twisted looks of surprise and disgust on their faces.  
  
"What?" Air Razor asked, shrugging her wings  
  
Dinobot covered his eyes with one hand and groaned.  
  
Tigatron chuckled and said to Rattrap "At this rate we will never find Optimus. I suggest we split up."  
  
"Well, seein' as we've all 'ad a good helpin' a humility from, of all bots, Choppa-Face, I'm open ta suggestions. Anyone got a betta idea?"  
  
Cheetor glared at Rattrap and started towards the forest "Like I care."  
  
"I will go with Cheetor." Tigatron said "I will talk to him, tiger to cub."  
  
"Jist be careful dat 'e don' bite ya head off." Rattrap said "Rhinox en I will head towards da riva, you take da Kid ta where we saw da gorillas en check it out. Choppa-Face, you en Air Razor head fa da hills en see whatya kin find."  
  
The group spilt off into their assigned groups before Dinobot had the chance to protest. Air Razor looked the disgusted Dinobot over with narrowed eyes.  
  
"What?" she asked "You disapprove?"  
  
"I prefer to work alone." Dinobot snorted as he started off "And that joke was not amusing."  
  
"What joke?" Air Razor asked  
  
*****  
  
Optimus slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He was surrounded by bright green trees and tall swaying grass. The scent of four-o'clocks filled the air and the buzz of some insect echoed in his ears. Optimus rolled over on his back and looked up. The sun's warm rays filtered down through the leaves. Optimus closed his eyes and smiled. This was more like it. Much better than that metal cave those monsters lived in.  
  
Suddenly the sun's rays were gone. Optimus opened his eyes to come face to face with a young female gorilla. She stared at him with narrowed eyes before she finally poked him in the rips. Optimus got up on all fours as fast as he could and barked at her to keep her distance. The she-gorilla took a few steps back and growled. She wasn't afraid of him.  
  
Optimus growled back. She was about half his size, but she looked like she could take Optimus out with one blow. Optimus didn't want to test that theory. The two stared at each other for a moment longer before the she-gorilla snorted at him, disgusted, and walked away. Optimus' face twisted in confusion as he watched disappear around a group of trees. After a moment of two, Optimus followed her.  
  
Rounding the corner, Optimus saw a tribe of gorillas spread out in a thick forest of bamboo and four-o'clocks. The young she-gorilla had joined a few other gorillas who were happily munching away at some bamboo stalks.  
  
The she gorilla glanced up and spotted Optimus. She snarled at him and watched him with narrowed eyes. Optimus smiled, but he was a little too nervous to make it look authentic. He slowly made his way through the tribe, more importantly away from the she gorilla, in an attempt to find Silverback.  
  
Two toddlers tumbled and wrestled near a thick of berry bushes. As Optimus passed them the youngest of the two bumped into his arm. Optimus stopped and looked down at the youth, who looked up into Optimus's eyes. The two stayed like that for a moment, just looking at each other, before the youth got to his feet and took a step back. He rose to his hind legs and pounded on his chest, trying to look tough, but wound up toppling over backwards. This little one had a head of wild, spiked fur, so Optimus decided to call him Spike.  
  
As Spike got back to his feet Optimus continued his search for Silverback. Spike followed, calling for Optimus to wait up. Optimus looked back long enough to bark at Spike, telling him to go away. Spike followed anyway, chattering happily. Optimus stopped, whirled around, and snorted in Spike's face. Spike tumbled backwards laughing. He thought it was a game.  
  
As Spike got to his feet the she-gorilla appeared and scooped him up. She growled angrily at Optimus, her eyes told him to stay away from her brother. Optimus took a step back as the she-gorilla started back to her group, Spike complaining the entire time.  
  
Optimus was hurt and confused. Why was he being treated so poorly, like he was a stranger. Optimus sat down and looked around. Few of the gorillas paid him any heed, and those that did looked him over in distrust and fear. Optimus sighed and grabbed a bamboo stalk, breaking it in two, and began to eat.  
  
A heavy hand grabbed Optimus' shoulder. Optimus lept to his feet with a startled yelp. He whirled around to see Silverback standing behind him, his battle scar gone. Optimus and Silverback gazed into each other's eyes, practically into each other's very being. Optimus felt as thought he had been reunited with an old friend, one he had lost contact with for years, and he didn't know what to say or where to start.  
  
Silverback smiled and motioned for Optimus to follow him. Silverback turned and made his way through the forest slowly, his age showing with every step. He was heading towards the mountains that shadowed the forest, and Optimus followed...with Spike following his shadow.  
  
The jungle never gave way. It clawed and gripped the mountain side, refusing to abandon its rocky face. The trees swayed in the breeze, shaking lose all sorts of fruit and leaves. Optimus paid little heed to the trees until one dropped a melon on his head. Optimus grabbed his head, grunting at the impact. The melon rolled a few feet in front of him, unharmed. Optimus growled at his bad luck and was just about to throw the melon into the forest when Spike lounged for it. He scooped up the melon, chattering happily, and raced after Silverback.  
  
Silverback stopped and turned as Spike came up to him, proudly presenting the ancient gorilla with his prize. Silverback smiled and nodded as Spike tried to bit through the hard covering to get at the meat. Optimus approached Spike wryly. The she-gorilla was probably near by and if Optimus got to close to Spike she'd pound him. After several failed attempts to open the melon, which included banging it against a sharp rock, Spike whimpered and handed the melon to Silverback.  
  
Silverback took the melon in his left hand and crushed it into five large pieces. Optimus was impressed. Spike was thrilled; he could have his snake! Spike gathered the five pieces together, giving the largest to Silverback and the second largest to Optimus.  
  
Optimus sniffed at the strange fruit. The shell of the melon was as hard as stone, but the meat inside was soft. Optimus ate the meat first, following Spike and Silverback's example, then tried to eat the shell. After several attempts to bit through the thick shell Optimus gave up. He really didn't want to break any of his teeth.  
  
Silverback took the shell of his piece between his thumb and index finger and snapped it in two with no problem. Optimus' eyes widened in amazement. Giving off a deep grunt, Silverback motioned for Optimus to follow and continued up the mountain path. Optimus threw his shell fragment into the bushes and followed after Silverback. Spike quickly finished his meal then raced after the older gorillas. The wind raced threw the trees once again, shaking lose several hard fruits.  
  
  
Cheetor side stepped a falling melon and continued on with his sulk. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He couldn't believe Rhinox and Rattrap would make such terrible jokes. Or that Tigatron would stick up for them....  
  
....or that he had just snapped at them.  
  
There had been a instant, not too long ago but before the program block had been deleted, that Cheetor had snapped in a similar manner. Only then his weapon wasn't his words, but a practice lance.  
  
Determined to prove to Dinobot that he was no Spark, Cheetor made it a point to train in the Practice Hall while Dinobot was using one of the smaller practice rooms for meditation. The only way in and out of these rooms was through the Hall, so there was no way Dinobot could miss seeing Cheetor practice.  
  
But up until a while ago, Dinobot's meditations lasted longer than Cheetor's training.  
  
Then one day, Dinobot existed the smaller training room and watched Cheetor practice. He crossed his arms over his chest, leaned against the wall and watched. Cheetor did his best, fought better than he ever had. When he was finished and asked Dinobot for his opinion the Predicon merely shock his head and said 'Amateur'.  
  
'What?' Cheetor shouted 'That was the best drill I've ever done!'  
  
'Well, if that is the truth, I now know why Optimus never sends you on a mission alone.' Dinobot snorted  
  
'Hey! I can take care of myself!!' Cheetor growled 'You want proff? Come on and fight me, One-on-One!'  
  
Dinobot narrowed his eyes and looked Cheetor over. He seemed to be measuring the young Maximal on a scale he had created, had used to judge his oppoents on the field and in the ring (facts Cheetor had just recently learned). Finally, the Pred pushed himself off the wall and started towards Cheetor  
  
The two fought for what seemed to be forever. Every now and then Dinobot would stop fighting and yell at Cheetor for leaving an opening or for not doing an attack properly. The scolding was quickly followed by a step-by-step teaching of the move or a better defense.  
  
How it happened, Cheetor wasn't sure, but it was during the last battle. Tired, sore, but still determined, Cheetor tapped into a power reserve he never knew he had. His anger, his frustration, his exhaustion, his determination opened a flood gate; the world went red, everything in the universe disappeared and it was only Dinobot and Cheetor on a battle field. Cheetor got a second wind. He lounged at Dinobot, letting out a battle cry seconded only by the Predicon's, and slammed his practice poll into the Pred's chest. Dinobot was sent flying. He crashed into the wall, denting it, then crumpled to the floor.  
  
Seeing Dinobot down caused something to snap in Cheetor's conscience and the power disappeared, bottled back up and hidden. In it's place was fear, confussion and awe. Dinobot stood and approached Cheetor, a satisfied grin on his face.  
  
'Well done.' Dinobot said as he passed Cheetor 'We'll work on your stance another time.'  
  
It took Cheetor a while to figure out what Dinobot had done, but even then he refused to believe it. Cheetor was a berserker; a bot who could tap into an emotional power reserve for ultimate strenght, agility, and speed in battle. He was untrained, which ment the incident between himself and Dinobot was rare. Until he was trained, until he knew how to control this...power, Cheetor would only go berserk if he was pushed over the edge. Maybe he could convince Dinobot to train him.  
  
As Cheetor mused over his memories, the wind picked up and it shock the tree branches. Several melons tumbled towards the ground, one of which quickly brought Cheetor back to reality.  
  
"RRRROOOWWW!" Cheetor growled, shaking his head "That hurt!"  
  
The melon that had fallen on Cheetor's head bounced along the grassy jungle floor, then rolled towards Tigatron, who stopped it with his paw.  
  
Tigatron laughed gently "Poor Little Cat. Living on Axalon has made your head soft."  
  
"Hey!" Cheetor said, his feelings hurt "No fair, Big Cat! You'd have done the same thing!"  
  
"I do not doubt that," Tigatron said "were I unaware of my surroundings, as you are."  
  
"Now, why are you melting my processor?"  
  
"I am not melting your processor, Cheetor, I am merely teasing you."  
  
"Yeah, well, I wish you won't."  
  
"Have you had a chance to cool down?"  
  
Cheetor sighed "Look, I'm sorry I snapped at everybody, okay? It's just that....they had no right to say those things!"  
  
"Making jokes is how Rattrap and Rhinox deal with unnerving situations. They do not mean to sound bitter or cruel or sparkless, they just don't know of any other way to deal with what is going on around them."  
  
"I guess." Cheetor shrugged  
  
"And would you really want them any other way? Would you really want them to be realistic about this situtation, and say that they think we'll never find Optimus? or that we will but not in working order? We are the way we are for a reason. You will understand that some day, Cheetor, just give it time."  
  
"Yeah." Cheetor sighed "I know. I'll....appologize when we get back with the other."  
  
Tigatron nodded "Very wise, Little Cat. Now, let us look for our missing leader, but be carefull. You must be cautious and alert when in the jungle. It is a wild place, and you must be on your guard at all times. You never know what is going to~OWW!" Tigatron cringed as a melon hit him on his head. Cheetor fell over onto his side, laughing.  
  
Tigatron grinned sheepishly "Well, that I deserved." then he added  
  
  
  
AUTHOR'S ASIDE: In "Feral Scream" Cheetor gets a major power jult and morphs into his Transmetal Two form. The power jult's ability to change our sweet Cheetor into a monster always confused me and got me thinking. My theory (and this is ONLY my theory and probably is not held by the creators of Beast Wars) was that Cheetor must have all ready had this savage power in him. The jult released all of Cheetor's berserker abilities as a second, savage personality, which Optimus manages to tame and merge with Cheetor's dominate personality. 


	7. Chapter 7: Discoveries

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 7; Discoveries  
  
Dinobot stopped at the top of a grassy hill and looked the valley over. The grass rippled and swayed in the cool breeze, reflecting the sun's warm rays with each ripple. A flock of birds broke the surface of this green ocean and filled the sky with their music. Flowers dotted the meadow like jewels in a crown. Not twenty klicks from the hill rushed a glowing blue river that bubbled and trickled its way through the valley.  
  
"Beautiful." Air Razor sighed as she landed next to Dinobot "Just beautiful."  
  
Dinobot snorted.  
  
"You disagree?"  
  
"We are not here to admire the scenery." Dinobot snarled  
  
"That doesn't mean we can't enjoy it while we're here, does it?  
  
Dinobot narrowed his eyes and growled darkly. A butterfly approached the two Maximals and fluttered playfully around Dinobot's head, attempting to land on his snout. Dinobot reared back and shook his head, letting out a high pitched snarl. The butterfly raced away from Dinobot and landed on Air Razor's out streached wing.  
  
  
"You know what you're problem is?" Air Razor asked, bringing the butterfly up to her beak "You don't know how to enjoy yourself. Relax for once in your program! It won't kill you."  
  
Dinobot turned and looked Air Razor over with the same unimpressed gaze he had bestowed upon the valley. Air Razor smiled gently, and when the butterfly jumped onto the tip of her beak she began to laugh.  
  
Dinobot watched her for a moment, eyes narrowed and mouth sent into a bitter frown. He wasn't sure how to react to what he saw, or if he should react. So he watched Air Razor and the butterfly with narrowed eyes. Finally, Dinobot took a deep breath and snorted angrily as he started down the hill towards the rushing river.  
  
Air Razor sighed as the butterfly flew away. Dinobot was impossible.  
  
The grass shortened as it approached the river, but was never shorter than Dinobot. Suddenly the grass disappeared and Dinobot was confronted by a five foot strip of shimmering, snow white sand that separated the meadow from the river. Dinobot stopped and scrutinized his surroundings.  
  
"Will you stop doing that, please?" Air Razor asked as she landed next to him. "You are making me nervous."  
  
"A warrior must know every inch of a potential battle field before he enters." Dinobot said  
  
"Is it your own rules or your Predicon program that makes you so paranoid?" Air Razor asked, tilting her head to get a better look at her partner.  
  
"I am NOT paranoid!" Dinobot snapped "Merely cautious, as all great warriors are." Dinobot looked his surroundings over one last time before he started towards the river cautiously, Air Razor a few klicks behind him.  
  
The river glowed a very pale shade of blue for about twenty klicks, then faded to a crystal clear. Farther up the river the glow intensified and the color was a deeper shade of blue. Dinobot sniffed the air and cringed. Scorpinok and Waspinator had been here a few Mega-cycles ago. The sand told Dinobot that Scorpinok had wandered around the banks, scooping the sand up between his claws and letting it sieve out. But why?  
  
Dinobot turned his attention to the river, scanning it with narrowed eyes before approaching its banks.  
  
"You do remember we're supposed to be looking for Optimus, right?" Air Razor asked  
  
Dinobot stopped by the waters edge and sniffed at the glowing water, purposely ignoring what Air Razor had said.  
  
"Well, do you?" Air Razor snapped  
  
Dinobot touched the tip of his tongue to the glowing water. It tasted bitter and sent a chill down his spine, numbing his processor. Dinobot reared back and snorted, running the tip of his tongue over his teeth to scratch way the taste.  
  
"Dinobot?" Air Razor said, coming over to his side "What's the matter?"  
  
Dinobot shock his head and glared at the river. Then he realized something.  
  
"Were you speaking to me?" he asked, looking Air Razor in the eyes  
  
"Yes, I asked what was~"  
  
"No, no! Before!"  
  
"Before? Yes, I asked you if you remembered we were supposed to be looking for Optimus. Why?"  
  
Dinobot blinked. He looked down at the water then back at Air Razor.  
  
"Are you purposely trying to scare the operational program out of me or are you always this weird?" Air Razor asked  
  
"Were you a permanent resident on Axalon there would be no need for your question." Dinobot said, turning back towards the pale water  
  
There was something about this river and the area surrounding it that Dinobot didn't like. The obvious flaw in the scene was the river was glowing. Dinobot knew enough about natural environments to safely say rivers should not glow. Another oddity was the sand, which glittered all the colors of the rainbow under the noon day sun. Dinobot dragged his foot across the sand then grabbed some of it between his toes.  
  
"Crystal shards." Dinobot growled deeply  
  
"What?" Air Razor asked  
  
"This is not sand. This entire shore line is made up of crystal fragments."  
  
"If the fragments are small enough it's still called 'sand'."  
  
Dinobot glared at Air Razor but made not reply  
  
"As much fun as this is, we should start looking for Optimus." Air Razor said  
  
"This river takes precedence over our missing leader, Air Razor," Dinobot said "for I believe it holds the key to his disappearance!"  
  
*****  
  
"Ohh, man!" Rattrap groaned "We's been out 'ere since dawn en naht a sign a Fearless Leada!"  
  
"We'll find him." Rhinox said "Question is, in what condition?  
  
"I jist don' git it." Rattrap mumbled to himself "One blast. How da slag could Prime lose it from one blast?"  
  
The forest thinned and pulled away, revealing an open field. Here, the river split.  
  
"One thing's for sure." Rhinox said "We lucked out not running into any Predicons."  
  
"Uhhh, ya might wanna take dat back, Big Green." Rattrap groaned, motioning to a patch of grass.  
  
Rhinox looked and groaned.  
  
His lower half submerged in the glowing river and his upper half resting on the grassy beach, Terrorsaur slept soundly not two nano-klicks from Rhinox and Rattrap's feet.  
  
"Tell me 'e's off line." Rattrap groaned  
  
"Our luck ain' that prime." Rhinox said  
  
Terrorsaur groaned and stirred. As a precaution, the two Maximals transformed and aimed their weapons at the dazed Predicon.  
  
Terrorsaur tried his best to shake off his hang-over, but that only made him nauseous. His entire body ached, his engine turned, his mainframe was spinning, his joints were stiff, he was cold and he was uncomfortably aware of a giant gap in his memory banks.  
  
Terrorsaur slowly opened his eyes and looked around. His upper torso was laying on a soft bed of grass, his rear was being chilled by bright blue water. The forest and meadow that surrounded him was alien and the sun was a little too bright for his liking.  
  
Where was he? This wasn't Cybertron. It was too organic to be Cybertron, too green. Terrorsaur distinctly remembered, though doing so made his head pound, joining up with Megatron to steal the golden disk. He remember the planning, the practicing and the fights over mission before they finally broke into the Archieves and stole the disk.  
  
He remembered them encountering the Maximals. Trying to lose them in a transwarp jump only to fight over a strange planet. Both ships crashed. They all took on beast forms, Dinobot defected, they fought, energon was found running beneath the two bases and Terrorsaur was transported to the Maximal Base.  
  
The last thing Terrorsaur remembered was making the pact with Dinobot to bring down Megatron and...and...Was there anything else to that deal? As second part, maybe? There must have been. Mustn't there? Terrorsaur couldn't remember any other part no matter how hard he tried. So...since he couldn't remember there must not have been a second part.  
  
Terrorsaur groaned, pulling himself to his feet and stumbling out of the river. The world spun in circles and rippled like waves. It hurt to move, but Terrorsaur began to truge onward. If he had joined up with Dinobot that ment he had joined up with the Maximals, which ment he had better get back to the Axalon before any one got worried, though Terrorsaur wasn't looking forward to the lecture he was going to get when he returned.  
  
"Hold it right there, Terrorsaur." a deep voice boomed  
  
Terrorsaur turned and saw, through blurry double vision, Rhinox and Rattrap in robot mode aiming their weapons at him. He knew them, they were Maximals...and since he was a Maximal they were his teammates.  
  
An Terrorsaur knew that teammates will pull wonderful trinks on you when you're surged.  
  
"Come on, give me a break, guys." Terrorsaur moaned, rubbing he back of his head "I have a hang-over the size of Cybertropolis. I'm in no mode for games!"  
  
"Games?" Rattrap asked "War ain'a game, Pal!"  
  
"You're telling me? After the slag I've been through? Funny, Rattrap, real funny. And speaking of 'funny', what gives dumping me in the river? I could have drowned. Dinobot put you up to it?"  
  
"Dump ya in~?" Rattrap was too stunned to complete his thought.  
  
"Why would Dinobot have us dump you in the river?" Rhinox asked  
  
"Oh, I see." Terrorsaur said, a weak smile crossing his face "He's trying to cover his tracks, ehh? Make it look like I did something stupid while I was charged? Well, that worked when I was a spark....and once right before we stole the Golden Disk, but he's not going to pull the same trick on this bot three times in one operating time. Nope. I'm not that stupid, and he knows it, so you two can put your guns up 'cuz I'm calling your bluff."  
  
Rattrap lowered his weapon, shocked beyond believe. If the Pred was acting, trying to loop the two Maximals into a trap, he was doing a great job.  
  
Not that Rhinox and Rattrap would fall for anything, but Rattrap had to give Terrorsaur credit for trying.  
  
"Now," Terrorsaur said "if one of you would be so kind as to point me back in the direction of the Axel...Axlon...Axolen...the ship, I'll be on my~"  
  
Terrorsaur started towards Rhinox and Rattrap with swayed steps, determined not to fall. Rhinox narrowed his eyes and fired a few warning shots at Terrorsaur's feet. That was better than engine coolant. Terrorsaur snapped back into a state of sobriety and lept back, tripping over his own numbed feet and tumbling onto his back.  
  
"Wait! Wait! What I do!?" Terrorsaur shouted  
  
"Don't try to con us, Predicon," Rhinox said "because we're not stupid, either."  
  
"Unlike sum." Rattrap said, approaching the terrified Pred, pistol ready.  
  
"Come on, this isn't funny anymore!" Terrorsaur said "I'm not a Predicon."  
  
"Oh, ya naht, is ya? Den why ya got deir sign on ya...huh?" Rattrap stopped. The Predicon emblem was gone, but there was nothing to take its place.  
  
"I...I left the Predicons...all most a stellar cycle ago....Remember?" Terrorsaur panted, trembling from head to toe "Che...Cheetor was warped to the Darkside and I got transported to the Axalon. Dinobot was in the command center at the time. At first he was going to scrap me, but then he noticed the control panel. After we figured out it was the energon the Kid had targeted with the scanning rods that created the transporter I....I joined the Maximals."  
  
Rattrap slowly rose his gun and aimed it at Terrorsaur's head. Terrorsaur closed his eyes and turned away.  
  
Rhinox watched the glowing river with narrowed eyes. Terrorsaur had one MAJOR glitch in his system, that much was clear. But how did he get that way? Could Terrorsaur and Megatron have gotten into a fight and Terrorsaur's memory files been damaged? Only one way to find out, but that ment taking the Pred to Axalon for a systems scan, which really didn't look like a good idea.  
  
"I joined because I was tired of being bullied and bossed around by Megatron." Terrorsaur said, clenching his hands "He treated me the same way his forefather treated StarScream. I was sick of it! And it didn't want to suffer the same fate."  
  
"So, ya joined up wid us." Rattrap said, charging his pistol. It was obvieous that Terrorsaur was no longer playing with a full deck, but how to be sure it wasn't all an act. The answer came to him like a lightening bolt, Rattrap just hoped he could keep from laughing.  
  
"How's it been?" Rattrap asked. Rhinox raised his eyes from the river and turned towards Rattrap and Rhinox.  
  
"Huh?" Terrorsaur opened one eye.  
  
Rattrap holstered his gun and took a step back, saying "Gotta ya!"  
  
Terrorsaur lept to his feet, a wry smile on his face, and said "That wasn't funny, Rat! I'll figure out some way to get you back! Just you wait! But to answer you're question; it's been great! We've come close to beating Megatron several times, but he somehow finds a way to slip by us. I'm certain we'll get him soon enough, though. And when we do it's Cybertron, Sweet Cybertron with energon to spare!"  
  
"Why would we need the energon of this planet?" Rhinox asked as he came over to Terrorsaur and Rattrap, holstering his own guns  
  
"Huh?" Terrorsaur asked, turning towards Rhinox "That's simple, to recharge the planet."  
  
"Wha'?" Rattrap asked  
  
"Cybertron's in the middle of an energon crisis." Terrorsaur explained "You Maximals were sent out to get energon to keep everything up and running. The Golden Disk spoke of a planet with a great amount of energy, and the Maximal Elders sent the Axalon out to find this planet and get the energon. But Megatron wanted the energon so he could conquer Cybertron, so we stole the Golden Disk to prevent any one else from following, then we followed you through the worm-hole created in transwarp space and knocked you guys off course....By the way, sorry."  
  
Rattrap smiled, but he was too unnerved to make it look genuine. He nudged Rhinox in the hip and whispered "Sumbody's history tracks are scrambled."  
  
"That could work to our advantage." Rhinox whispered back  
  
"Anyway!" Terrorsaur continued, not having heard Rattrap or Rhinox "We knocked you off course and we came out of warp over this planet. We fought for a while then both ships crashed. We've been trying to get back home ever since."  
  
"Kin I ask ya one more question?" Rattrap asked, then quickly added "Ya overdosed last night, en I wanna make sure ya ain' fried ya memory banks...too much."  
  
"Sure, go ahead."  
  
"`As bein' wid us changed ya mind 'bout anytin'?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, we keep 'avin' ta remind Choppa-Face dat we don' settle disputes by da blade or da blasta."  
  
Terrorsaur narrowed his eyes, confused "Is that why I'm out here?"  
  
"Huh? No, no, dat's naht why ya out 'ere!"  
  
"Then...what happened? Why'd I get charged last night and how come I'm out here?"  
  
"Well." Rattrap was going to have to be REALLY creative and REALLY convincing to pull this off.  
  
"Megatron challenged Dinobot yesterday morning." Rhinox said, buying Rattrap some time and giving him a slice on inspiration "During the fight Optimus was hit and severely damaged."  
  
"What?" Terrorsaur gasped  
  
"When we got Optimus back to the base, you and Cheetor decided to watch him, until he came to and we could do a full scan of his systems."  
  
"Yeah," Rattrap jumped in, trying not to look to eager "buh Prime's logic circuits were damaged en now 'e thinks 'e's a gorilla. 'E knocked ya both flat ta da ground en bolted. Nah 'e's runnin' 'round da jungle thinkin' 'e's King Kong."  
  
"And I...got charged because I thought I had failed?" Terrorsaur asked. He wasn't buying it.  
  
"Hey, Choppa-Face wuz pretty steamed." Rattrap said with a shrug "I ain't sure wha 'e said ta ya, buh ya took ta da energon like a fish ta wata."  
  
'Please let that be enough!' Rhinox begged The Matrix  
  
"I....I must....have...." Terrorsaur started, trying to make some sense from what he had heard. Then it all snapped together. "I must have been trying to prove I could do something right! Ever since that insident with the Maximal Guard Dinobot has never trusted me! He say's I'm not serious enough to handle any real responsibility! I must have joined up with the Kid to prove him wrong!" Terrorsaur's face fell and he buried his face in his hands "What have I done! I shouldn't have let him just run off like that! I should have stopped him!"  
  
Rattrap and Rhinox' eyes widened in shock. Not only did Terrorsaur believe what he was told, but he actually felt guilty for letting Optimus get away. He hated to say it, but Rattrap was starting to feel like a real rat for placing blame on an amnesiatic Predicon.  
  
Terrorsaur uncovered his face, his eyes burning with determination, and said "Don't worry, guys! I'll find Optimus! No way I'm going to let this go un-corrected! Let's go! The longer we stand here talking the longer Optimus has time to get into trouble."  
  
Terrorsaur transformed into his beast mode and took to the air, flying towards the jungle as fast as he could. Rattrap and Rhinox looked at each other, neither one having any clue as to what just happened, and shrugged. They transformed into their beast modes and raced after Terrorsaur.  
  
"We'll have to be careful!" Terrorsaur shouted down to them, once they had caught up "Megatron and the others aren't far from here."  
  
"Where are they?" Rhinox asked  
  
"In a energon valley just up stream. The energon crystals are huge and all of them are stable. I found the place yesterday afternoon, while I was looking for Optimus."  
  
"Oh, great," Rattrap groaned "make my day worse, why don' ya."  
  
*****  
  
The vegetation ripped away from the stone mountain and the grassy trail became a rocky ledge. Where the ledge stopped there was a gaping cave entrance, and it was here that Silverback stopped and waited for Optimus, who was racing Spike up the path.  
  
Optimus stopped halfway to the ledge and rose on his back legs, pounding his chest. Spike laughed and lounged, tackling Optimus to the ground. The two wrestled for a bit before Optimus managed to catch the little gorilla in a gentle head-lock and ruffle his hair.  
  
Spike tried to get away from Optimus or at least retaliate. Spike wriggled and squirmed like fish out of water before he finally broke free and started running up the trail. Optimus followed, but not to close. He had decided a long time back that he was going to let Spike win. After all, it was only a game.  
  
Silverback sighed and shock his head impatiently, but he was smiling. Spike was the first to reach the Silverback and the entrance to the cave. With one glance at the gaping whole in the mountain, Spike was dumb-struck. Optimus trotted up to Silverback and Spike and peered into the dark abyss. Silverback turned towards Optimus and placed one hand on his shoulder, nodded, then started into the darkness.  
  
Optimus watched as Silverback disappeared into the cave, then turned to the petrified Spike. Spike shivered and started to back away. Suddenly, from inside the cave, Silverback barked for Optimus to follow. Spike let out a high pitched yelp and raced back down the path, diving behind the first bush he found for cover.  
  
Again, Silverback barked. But this time....  
  
"Come!" rumbled out of the cave, deep and demanding  
  
Had Silverback said that? Optimus took a few steps back. Spike's hiding place was looking very comfortable right about now!  
  
"Come!" a great breeze rushed out of the cave as the word rumbled through the air.  
  
Optimus took a deep breath and entered the cave. Spike watched in horror as Optimus' form disappeared into the darkness, then he curled himself up into a ball and began to whimper. He wished his sister had come with them.  
  
Optimus walked for twenty yards in complete darkness. The ground was smooth and cold, unlike any cave floor Optimus had ever felt. For some reason it felt familiar. It felt like....like the floor in the monsters' cave. A metal floor.  
  
The cave lit up with a FLASH!  
  
Optimus shielded his eyes and turned away. The light dimmed, or his eyes got used to the glow, and Optimus lowered his arm. The cave was filled...NO! It was made of crystals every color of the rainbow! They seemed to be growing out of the metal ground, glowing and pulsing with a life force all their own.  
  
There was a path that cut through the crystals, leading deep into the heart of the cave. Optimus followed if causiously, keeping an eye out for Silverback. Suddenly, Silverback appeared a few yards infront of Optimus. He motioned for Optimus to follow and disappeared around a corner.  
  
Optimus ran as fast as he could to catch up with the old gorilla. As he skid around the corner, Optimus came upon a giant stone structure. Several giant stone circles were laid one on top of the other, the one on top was always a third smaller than the one it sat on. The top stone disk was surrounded by crystal pillars, one pillar of each color Optimus had seen.  
  
And there was Silverback, waiting for Optimus, at the top of the stone pyramid.  
  
Optimus placed his left hand on the first stone. It lit up a clear white. Optimus removed his hand and the glow stopped. Silverback snorted impatiently, and so Optimus slowly climbed up the stones, each step lighting up and fading out as he went.  
  
Once at the top, Optimus was quickly motioned and moved into the center of the disk by Silverback. Silverback grunted at Optimus to stay where he was then hurried down the steps. Optimus couldn't see where Silverback had gone and didn't want to anger the Old-One by moving, so he busied himself with the study of the top disk.  
  
Not only was the disk surrounded by crystal pillars that grew out of it, but the top was carved. A series of circles, triangles, squares and other geometric shapes, interloped and scattered, decorated the disk below Optimus' feet and hands.  
  
The cave echoed with a great grinding sound.  
  
Optimus looked up just in time to see a hole in the cave ceiling spiral out like...the opening of an air lock! As the ancient metal pulled apart, raining down a gentle mist of rust, a great beam of sunlight rushed into the cave.  
  
  
  
AUTHOR'S ASIDE: The deal between Dinobot and Terrorsaur (which was made entirely by Terrorsaur) in "Equal Measures" was as followed: The two would join forces, they would "conquer" the Maximals (which probablly means 'enslave' the Maximals), destroy Megatron and take command of the Predicons. Once all the energon on the planet was mined and everyone returned to Cybertron Terrorsaur would make Dinobot his second in command. Terrorsaur's fragmented memory translates "join forces" as "join Maximals" and "conguer the Maximals" to "conquer the Predicons", everything else is forgotten. 


	8. Chapter 8: Tempus Desistit

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, portions of the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 8; Tempus Desistit  
  
Dinobot and Air Razor continued their march up the river banks, still in beast mode. As the glow in the river water intensified the sandy shore line receded until the meadow met the river.  
  
"I thought you hated nature walks." Air Razor said  
  
"Would you please keep you mind on the matter at hand." Dinobot snorted  
  
"I am! I'm looking for Optimus! You're admiring the river!"  
  
"There is nothing admirable about water. At least nothing worthy of my scrutiny."  
  
"Then why do you keep glaring at it?"  
  
Dinobot stopped and pointed to the glowing river, saying "Is that natural?"  
  
"No," Air Razor said "but nothing on this planet is what we have been taught to consider natural."  
  
"And that explanation satisfies your curiosity?"  
  
"At the moment? Yes, it does."  
  
Dinobot rolled his eyes and continued on his way. He would never understand the fairer frequency of the programs. Especially the fairer frequency of the Maximal program. Still, Air Razor had a point about nothing on the planet being natural. The energon, the animals, the geography, none of it followed nature's basic program; and this glowing river was yet another non sequentor.  
  
But there had to be a reason the river glowed. There had to be an explanation to this phenomena as there had to be an explanation to everything else. Nothing ever lacks a purpose, nothing ever exists without a reason. The trick was finding that purpose or reason.  
  
"I'm heading into the forest." Air Razor announced  
  
Dinobot just snorted. Air Razor sighed in disgust and took off. As she swooped over Dinobot's head he stopped and watched her fly into the jungle. He watched until she disappeared, then started back down the river's edge. He only got a few klicks before he stopped, snarled at himself, and started after Air Razor.  
  
As he glanced back at the river one last time, Dinobot's foot slipped out from under him and he nearly lost his balance. Dinobot quickly regained his composure and looked down. Something was glowing beneath his left foot. He lifted his foot slowly to reveal an energon crystal two nano-klicks longs, royal blue, and a perfect cylinder.   
  
Against his better judgment, Dinobot transformed into robot mode and picked the crystal up, holding it by his talons. As he held it up to the sunlight, the crystal cast a neon rainbow onto ground and started to spark where his talons touched it. Energy flowed through his fingers, down his arm and into his generator. It wasn't enough to recharge him, but it was rather refreshing.  
  
Dinobot lowered his arm and looked around the river bank. It was lined with crystals, some larger and some smaller than the one he had found, partially hidden in the grass. Dinobot narrowed his eyes and followed the bank as it disappeared into the river. Had he actually wadded into the river, it would only have come up to the joints where his legs met his hips, but Dinobot wasn't about to risk falling into that glowing liquid.  
  
The bottom of the river was lined with similar crystals fragments. Dinobot knelt down at the river's edge and plunged his free hand into the ice cold water. He grabbed the nearest crystal and yanked it out. This one looked more like a crystals than a tube, though the edges were smooth and curved. It looked similar to the one Megatron had used to charge his cannon.  
  
Could these crystals be the source of the river's glow? Of its power? Dinobot wasn't stupid. He remembered what happened after Cheetor blasted the crystal into the spring. The water began to glow, just like this river was, and after Rhinox rescued Optimus from the spring he complained about memory glitches. And Optimus? Optimus, as Air Razor had put it, had gone ape. And just moments ago, Dinobot had tasted of this river and had forgotten what Air Razor had just said to him.  
  
"Could it be?" Dinobot asked out loud, looking the two crystals over "The River Lethe."  
  
Dinobot held the two crystals up to the sunlight. The light refracted through the crystals and they started to charge, sending their energy through Dinobot's hands...then spark and send waves of energy pulsing from one crystal to the other. The crystals started to glow and the energy waves became more intense and more frequent.  
  
Dinobot threw the crystals into the sky as hard as he could. The crystals raced through the air and nano-clicks later exploded, sending a double shock-wave out in the shape of a sphere. Three hundred and sixty degrees of raw energy sped towards the ground. A part crashed into Dinobot.  
  
The first shockwave sent an energon surge pulsing through Dinobot's body. Dinobot roared in pain as his processors fried. Every nano-klick of his frame locked. His audio and optical sensors died. He flet as though he was going to go off-line.  
  
Then the second wave hit, neutralizing the first and restoring Dinobot's systems to prime condition. Dinobot sank to the ground, gasping for air.  
  
He managed a quiet "By the Pit." before he blacked out.  
  
  
"That sounded like an explosion!" Rhinox said, as he and the others stopped dead in their tracks  
  
"And it sounded close." Terrorsaur said, landing on a near by log.  
  
The jungle began to shake. Suddenly a wall of blue energy washed over the jungle and raced towards the Maximals and their new ally.  
  
There was not time to react.  
  
The first wave crashed into the three "allies", sending them flying. The three crashed to the ground, their ears ringing like mad and their frames sore from the impact; their beast modes had saved them from a worse fate. The jungle yielded to the waves' pressure, bending towards the ground in submission. The second wave raced over the Maximals. The ringing stopped and the soreness disappeared. The jungle rose and straightened to its full height, no longer afraid.  
  
"Wow." Rhinox said "What was that?"  
  
"Beats me." Rattrap groaned, rubbing the back of his neck  
  
A thunderous roar ripped through the jungle, for the waves were traveling faster than the speed of sound, and sent chills down Terrorsaur's back. He knew that roar.  
  
So did Rattrap.  
  
"Choppa-Face!" Rattrap shouted  
  
"Now THAT can't be good." Rhinox said "Let's go!"  
  
  
Air Razor stopped and looked back towards the river.  
  
"Did you hear that, Dinobot?" she called down, but there was no answer.  
  
"Dinobot?" Air Razor landed on a tree branch and looked down at the path below, but Dinobot was no where to be seen. She scanned the area, trying to find his energy signature.  
  
"Dinobot!" she called one last time "Stop it! You're not scaring me! Dinobot?"  
  
Air Razor looked back towards the sound of the explosion. A wave of engergy was racing towards her. Air Razor lept off the branch and was about to fly off when the wave slammed into her back. She was sent sprialing in the air before crashing into a tree. She fainted.  
  
As she crumpled to the ground the second wave hit and restored her, healing the damage the impact inflicked on her. Air Razor got to her feet slowly, shocked and frightened.  
  
"What in the world?" she asked as she watched the Gemini waves faded into thin air.  
  
A murderous roar echoed through the jungle. Fear grabbed Air Razor's heart and froze her frame. She trembled as the roar faded into a whisper and then disappeared. Air Razor swallowed hard as she slowly turned around.  
  
"Dinobot?" Air Razor asked. When no answer came, she lept into the air and flew as fast as she could towards the explosion's origin. She had a very bad feeling about what had happened.  
  
  
"Yikes." Cheetor said, as he watched the shockwaves pierce the jungle below "Either that was some weird breed of fireworks or somebody just got vaped."  
  
Tigatron stopped and turned towards Cheetor. They had picked up Optimus' scent a few moments ago and were now following it up a grassy trail along a mighty mountain. Tigatron came up on Cheetor's left just as the sound of the weakened waves rushed passed them, as gentle as the ocean breeze...followed by a howl of pain!  
  
"What the slag!" Cheetor gasped  
  
"Looks like some one was 'vaped'." Tigatron said sadly  
  
"Should we go check it out?"  
  
"And abandon the trail?"  
  
"But what if that was Optimus?"  
  
Tigatron shock his head and said "I doubt that was, Little Cat. Optimus does not howl like a wounded Sharkicon when damaged."  
  
"You don't think...!"  
  
"I do not know, but to satisfy my natural curiosity; Tigatron to Rattrap, what is the situation?"  
  
"Situation?" Rattrap voice came over the comlink "Wha' ya talkin' 'bout, Stripes?"  
  
"We have just witnessed an explosion not far from where Dinobot and Air Razor were heading. Can you fill us in?"  
  
"Jist witnessed? Where da slag are you two?"  
  
"There's no time, Rattrap," Cheetor snapped "just answer the question!"  
  
  
"Bolts if I know, Spots." Rattrap said, trying to keep up with Rhinox "Buh listen, sumtin's come up en we need ya ta drop whatya doin' en follow our signals!"  
  
"But what about Optimus?" Cheetor asked  
  
"Kid, if we don' take care a dis we may naht be 'round long enough ta enjoy Fearless Leada's leadaship! Rattrap out!"  
  
"Do you think Megatron got Dinobot and Air Razor?" Terrorsaur asked  
  
"Like I wuz jist tellin' da Kid; Bolts if I know."  
  
"Less talk, more speed!" Rhinox growled as he barreled through the forest, clearing a path with his horn.  
  
"Ah man," Rattrap groaned "dis day kin't git any worse."  
  
  
"What the slag was that?" Black Arachnia demanded as the force and sound of the explosion faded into the rushing wind.  
  
"An explosion." Tarantulus said sourly, not bothering to look up from his scanners  
  
"Can't you work any faster!" Megatron boomed. He hovered over Tarantulus like a thunder cloud.  
  
"I am working as fast as I can, Megatron," Tarantulus said, a hint of defiance in his voice "but these things take time. This energon is like nothing we've ever encountered. I want to study and document it properly!"  
  
"We don't have time for 'properly'! No!"  
  
"If we have time to wait for Waspinator and Scorpinok then we have time for 'properly'."  
  
Megatron growled and stomped into the crystal clearing, switching on his comlink.  
  
"Waspinator, report!" Megatron bellowed  
  
  
"Ooooo, pretty!" Scorpinok mused as the shockwaves ballooned out. He was in his beast mode, one clawed hand over his eyes to block the sun, being carried by his tail by Waspinator, also in beast mode. They flew about three klicks above the jungle canopy.  
  
"Hey, Waspinator, do you see that?" Scorpinok asked, motioning towards the energy waves  
  
"Waspinator, report!" Megatron's voice boomed over the comlink.  
  
"No sign of Terrorsaur." Scorpinok said "But there's this energy wave that~"  
  
"Did I ask you?" Megatron asked, dryly  
  
"Waspinator." Waspinator gasped, straining to stay in the air and keep his grip on Scorpinok's tail "Can not. Find. Terror~"  
  
The first wave hit, sending Waspinator and Scorpinok tumbling towards the rushing river below, both of them screaming. They were two klicks above the water when the second wave forced them up into the sky. The waves passed and as the roar ripped through the air the two began to fall.  
  
Waspinator flapped his wings as hard as he could, trying desperately to slow their decent. Scorpinok covered his eyes with his claws and screamed Finally, when Scorpinok was a nano-klick from hitting the water, they jerked to a stop.  
  
"Wow, that was close." Scorpinok sighed, lowering his claws into the water "What was that, anyway?"  
  
"Big explosion." Waspinator answered  
  
Scorpinok's claws began to tingle, as though they were falling asleep, and the water around them began to bubble. Scorpinok quickly pulled his claws out of the water and shock them dry.  
  
"What are you two doing?" Megatron demanded "Report at once and stop fooling around!!!"  
  
"Waspinator and Scorpinok cannot find Terrorsaur." Waspinator sighed into his comlink  
  
"Then look harder." Megatron said gently, then bellowed "I want him back here before sun down! Megatron out!"  
  
Waspinator was shaken to his spark chamber and almost lost his grip on Scorpinok.  
  
"Don't drop me! I had a bath two days ago!" Scorpinok shouted  
  
Waspinator sighed and flew over to the shore, where he put Scorpinok down and promptly crashed.  
  
"Waspinator tired." Waspinator sighed  
  
"We can't rest now!" Scorpinok said "We have to find Terrorsaur!"  
  
"Terrorsaur big bot. Can look after himself."  
  
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"  
  
"Maybe..." Waspinator started, looking in the direction of the explosion, but he stopped himself  
  
"Maybe? Maybe what? What are you muttering about?"  
  
"Maybe explosion...Terrorsaur?"  
  
Scorpinok looked Waspinator over with narrowed eyes, then turned towards the dying echoes of the explosion.  
  
"Oh, by the Cunning of Galvatron, I hope not." he moaned  
  
  
Silverback's clan rose their heads as the energy waves collapsed at the edge of their forest. The roar that followed was nothing but a gentle whisper in the wind.  
  
Spike's sister snorted at the wind and called to the others to move out. Something was wrong and their forest was no longer safe. The gorilla clan rose and began to lumber off towards their Haven, a deep rift in the earth only a few miles off. If they stuck to the trails it shouldn't take them too long to get there.  
  
Spike's sister cast her eyes towards the mountains and sighed. She hoped Silverback would be able to find them. Even though he was the strongest amoung them, he was old and a bit forgetful. Yes, he could take out a dozen lions with no problem, but he tired easily and his mind was always on something other than the present.  
  
Everyone was beginning to worry about the Old Keeper. Spike's sister was especailly concerned about him, for he was her father and it was her job to worry about family and their survival.  
  
*****  
  
The sunlight struck the crystals that surrounded Optimus. The crystals started to glow and picked up a charge, sending bolts of energy flying from one crystal to another. The carved lines began to glow, brighter and brighter, sending out multi-colored sparks of energy. Optimus wanted to run! He wanted to race off the stone tower and hide with Spike in the bushes outside!  
  
Insteed, Optimus stood perfectly still and watched the energy dance and race around him.  
  
Suddenly each crystal shot a bolt of energy towards the center of the disk, where Optimus stood. The bolts struck! Optimus let out a horrible howl of pain! The carvings became three dimensional walls that trapped Optimus in their web.  
  
Silverback, who watched the whole thing from a few feet way, nodded his head gravely.  
  
As the energy raced through Optimus, it twisted his mind. It opened doors and broke mental barriers. Optimus' memory came flooding back to him in a jumble of images, sounds, scents, and sensations! But the most important thing the energy bolts did was they opened Optimus' mind to the past, present and future...to non-linear and cylindrical time.  
  
It took him to another universe.  
  
*****  
  
The VOK are an ancient people. A proud people. Once as mortal as any living creature, they tapped into the Essence, the Universal Power, and were filled with it's knowledge. They found a plain of existence where the powers of the Essence were the purest. The VOK called this place the Vortex and from their ranks they chose the most enlightened of their people to live in there and become the guardians of all living things.  
  
War destroyed those VOK left behind, but those in the Vortex never knew of their people's destruction until it was too late to revive them with the Essence.  
  
The VOK became watchers. They rejoiced as civilizations studied and researched the great beyond as they had once done. They mourned when war, hate, fear and greed destroyed the civilizations just as they were moments away from tapping into the Essence.  
  
Then, one VOK went against everything ever taught and held dear by the surviving VOK. Using the Essence, this VOK created a solar system and seeded the third planet with everything it would need to give rise to intelligent life. Life that would find and tap into the Essence...so the VOK would no longer be alone. To ensure the creatures' discovery of the Essence and the VOK, the Renegade covered the planet in monumental puzzles, signal devises, and powerful crystals.  
  
There were other VOK who believed that assuming the role of creator was what they were destine to do, and so the broke from the Vortex and existed in an unstable branch they called the Realm. From the Realm these rebel VOK members watched the planet, which they named The Project, with pounding hearts and clenched fists. If this failed then the VOK would forever be alone and soon fade from existence.  
  
"...Placed in strategic locations along The Project's surface, are seven challenges hooked to seven signal devices. From what we have learned from observing other civilizations, I have created these challenges according to how the creatures of this planet should evolve if they are ever to find the Essence. Three of these devices are visible to the naked eye, out in the open and obstructed by nothing. The remaining four are hidden and can only be found once certain technologies are reached and perfected by the Project's creatures...."  
  
"...When one of the challenges is reached we will be signaled. When its mystery is solved, we will be signaled. When the challenge is mastered, we will be signaled ..."  
  
"...Evolution is too slow, my Brothers and Sisters, and very unpredictable. So, to ensure The Project will not be a waste of our precious time, I have placed on The Project crystals that will aid in the evolution of The Project creatures. Each crystal has a certain color and each color will affect the genetics of the creatures differently. Green crystals will increase speed while white will increase intelligence and blue the amount of energy a creature can have on reserve. Thus limiting how many times it needs to consume food. These are just a few of the many crystals found on The Project..."  
  
"What is the point of having advanced intelligence when there is nothing to test it, to challenge it? Foolish Atronai, you are trying to make what nature has declared impossible. Very well, I will end your folly! I add to your Gift a curse. The Curse of Power, of Rage, of Lust, of Greed, of Insanity. May those who come in contact with my crystal be dominated with my curse till the end of their days, and may their hearts never be satisfied with out the raging red of Chaos."  
  
"Is not the point of The Project to see how a species will use the knowledge of the VOK and Essence? If it is, then why force evolution?"  
  
"The Project is not to see how a species will exist or use knowledge of our kind or of the Essence, but to create a species capable of evolving into creatures similar to the VOK and join us here in the Vortex and Realm. If we are to survive, others must join us here. We are not immortal, my Brothers and Sisters, and our proud people are starting to vanish...."  
  
"...This will take some time, my Brothers and Sisters, and I can assure you that none of us who sit in this council room will ever see the perfect form of our creatures, nor will we ever see the first challenge's discovery, but I have faith in The Project. The VOK will not die out, so long as The Project is in our command."  
  
Time passed and soon the VOK encountered a new threat, The Swarm. Members of many species from every inch of the galaxy had united through tainted energy to become a living virus, a mass bent on destruction and enslavement. They attack the VOK and absorbed them into their ranks. Time continued and soon the VOK took control of the Swarm. A few rebel VOK continued to fight off the Swarm, whose target was The Project. The Swarm intended on using The Project as a breeding ground for the ultimate warrior race, a race that would serve them and enslave the universe. The battle raged on even as Optimus saw their history.  
  
But little did the VOK or the Swarm know, they were merely digging their own graves. For something higher than themselves had summoned help, summoned mighty warriors to stop the VOK, and soon the VOK would taste and be destroyed by the bitter tonic they were currently brewing.  
  
A tall, slender Transformer possessing traits of the Earth beast known as the cheetah was flanked by several other robots with Earth animals traits. Here was a spider and a bat, there a wolf and a vulture. A moth and horse, a rat and chameleon. To the cheetah-bot's right stood a fembot with the attributes of a velosa-raptor and to his left a bot that had traits from three different animals; a snake, an eagle and a lion. There were also a few bots that possessed the traits of plants. There were others, several others, that were purely technological.  
  
All stood ready, facing an army of super-charged tanks, helicopters, motorcycles and jets...all of which had the capability of transforming into lifeless, destructive robots.  
  
These drones, relics from a past war, were being controlled by a renegade Swarm member of VOK decent, who was seeking revenge for The Project's contamination.  
  
The out-come of this battle was unclear, for this battle was to take place in the future, but it was destine to happen. Nothing could be done to stop it, not even self-sacrifice or time travel. For the point of no return had all ready been passed. The event that secured this futuristic battle had all ready happened...  
  
....four million years ago. 


	9. Chapter 9: Point of No Return

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, portions of the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 9; Point of No Return  
  
"Choppa-Face! Choppa-face! Kin ya hear me?"  
  
Dinobot winced. Even in his dreams he was never free from the Vermin.  
  
Rattrap's voice faded and Dinobot was left to the void, an existence between sleep and consciousness. It was an artificial state of meditation, and Dinobot was enjoying his time there. Dinobot's spark calmed. He felt as though he was in complete control of his destiny. He felt at peace. He felt relaxed.  
  
He felt a pair of hands grab him by the shoulders and shake him violently!  
  
"DINOBOT!"  
  
Dinobot let out a monstrous roar as his optical sensors flashed. He lept to his feet and grabbed the first blurred object his sensors registered as a Transformer by the neck and lifted hit high above his head.  
  
"Nice ta see ya, too, Choppa-Face." Rattrap choked  
  
Dinobot blinked. His eyes adjusted to the light and he looked around. He was standing along the banks of the glowing river, surrounded by the Maximals. All were in robot mode. Air Razor was knelt near Dinobot's feet, looking up at him. Rhinox stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest and chuckling to himself. Not far from Rhinox stood Cheetor and Tigatron, who were laughing.  
  
And not far from the cats stood Terrorsaur, hands on his hips and a scowl on his face.  
  
Rattrap struggled to pry Dinobot's fingers from around his neck. The Pred could palm Rhinox's head if he wanted to, and his fingers reached all the way around Rattrap's neck. And his grip was as hard as steel. Rattrap was having a hard time breathing, his vision was beginning to blur.  
  
"Lemme go, ya big mook!" Rattrap gasped, kicking Dinobot in the rips as hard as he could "Ya chokin' me!"  
  
Dinobot winced at the impact and cast a quick glance at the squirming rodent. Dinobot snorted and then released him. Rattrap landed on his skid-plates with a hard THUD! grateful that he could breath.  
  
"Terrorsaur!" Dinobot thundered "explain your presence, quickly!"  
  
"Thought you could place all the blame on me, did ya." Terrorsaur demanded "Thought I'd fall for that old trick again. Well, that might have worked a few stellar cycles ago, but not this time! I'm not as stupid as you think I am."  
  
Dinobot raised his brow, stunned and confused. Why was Terrorsaur with the Maximals? What was Terrorsaur talking about? Dinobot placing the blame on him, for what?  
  
"By the Pit," Dinobot started "What are you~"  
  
Rattrap scrambled to his feet and yanked Dinobot aside by the arm, saying "Rhinox en I found 'im down stream, soaked ta da core en 'iz memory bank void a da last stellar cycle en sum odd quazars. 'E thinks 'e's on our side en dat 'e got surged last night cuz ya blamed 'im fa Optimus' disappearance."  
  
"And how, pray-tell, did he come to THAT conclusion?" Dinobot snarled, pulling his arm free of Rattrap's grip  
  
Rattrap waved the question off hurriedly "Dat's naht important. What iz important iz dis; turns out da biggest stable energon reserve on da planet iz only a few deca-quads up da river, en Megabutt en 'iz goons are in da process a mining da stuff!"  
  
"And I suppose HE told you all of that." Dinobot snorted, motioning towards Terrorsaur  
  
"Yeah. So?"  
  
Dinobot trilled in disgust and was about to point out how obvious of a trap it all was...when his optical sensors caught sight of the energon fragments in the river.  
  
"Soaked to the core, was he?" Dinobot said, preoccupied "His memories fragmented, scrambled or vaporized."  
  
The puzzle pieces began to fit together.  
  
"I don' know about 'iz memories bein' vaped," Rattrap said "but 'iz history tracks are crossed sumtin awful. Look, whateva happened ta 'im, da result iz 'e t'inks 'e's a Maximal en 'iz willin' ta take us ta dis Engeron Valley ta stap Megatron. Now, fore ya say 'It's a trap, Vermin. Can't ya see dat!', I know it could be a trap but we've gotta risk it! If dis Valley does exist~"  
  
"I doubt Terrorsaur is lying to us about the Valley's authenticity." Dinobot snorted, crossing his arms over his chest "My only concern is how long has Megatron had to learn it's secret."  
  
"Secert?" Rattrap asked  
  
"Are you two done pow-wowing?" Terrorsaur asked "We're wasting time!"  
  
"Wasting time?" Cheetor asked "What's the rush?"  
  
"The rush is Megatron! We've gotta stop him!"  
  
"Megatron? Hey, what's going on, Rattrap?"  
  
Rattrap approached the others, saying "Seems dat while Terrorsaur wuz on 'iz binge last night, 'e found Megatron en 'iz goons camped out in a huge stable energon reserve."  
  
"STABLE energon!" Air Razor gasped "On THIS planet?"  
  
"Yep, an entire valley of the stuff." Terrorsaur said "I confronted them, but in my surged state I couldn't do much damage. Inferno picked up a log and knocked me into the river. I floated down stream and washed up on shore."  
  
"Where we found him," Rhinox added "hang-over and all."  
  
"How big is this Energon Valley?" Tigatron asked  
  
"Big enough that one-fourth of the energon there would be more than enough for Megatron to kill us all a few dozen times." Terrorsaur explained  
  
Tigatron cringed "Very uncomforting thought."  
  
"You asked." Air Razor reminded him  
  
"If one fourth of the energon reserves could take us out and then some," Rhinox said to Rattrap "imagine what the entire valley could do."  
  
"We gotta git down dere en stap Mega-butt fore 'e gets da chance ta take any a dat energon back ta 'iz base." Rattrap said, slamming his left fist into his open palm "NOW!"  
  
"I'll lead the way....If I can remember how to get there." Terrorsaur groaned  
  
  
Waspinator and Scorpinok watched with wide eyes, hidden behind a patch of shrubbery on the other side of the river. Neither of them knew why Terrorsaur was with the Maximals or why the Maximals hadn't scrapped him. Or why Terrorsaur was telling them about the Energon Valley.  
  
"Don't make sense." Scorpinok muttered, shaking his head  
  
"Does not." Waspinator corrected  
  
"They shoulda slagged him by now."  
  
"Not true. Terrorsaur not slag Mouse-Bot when they meet."  
  
"Met, and the only reason Terrorsaur didn't blast that Maximal was because the Rat begged for mercy."  
  
"Changed sides."  
  
"Whatever." Scorpinok turned back to the scene before him.  
  
Rattrap said a few more things that the wind kept from Scorpinok and Waspinator's audio sensors, then motioned the group on. The Maximals plus Terrorsaur changed into their beast modes and started back into the forest.  
  
"Not 'whatever'. Is difference between 'beg for mercy' and 'change sides'." Waspinator said, then he gasped "Scorpinok not think Terrorsaur change sides?"  
  
"His logic chip must have been knocked out of whack when we..." Scorpinok shock his head, trying not to remember "Those slaggin' Maximals are taking advantage of him! They're no better than us!"  
  
Waspinator's brow rose "That could be compliment."  
  
"We've got to warn Megatron." Scorpinok said, a smile sneaking its way across his face "Finally, Megatron will see just how useful I am!"  
  
*****  
  
Optimus groaned. Every nano-klick of his frame ached. Slowly, painfully, he opened his optical sensors and looked around. He was no longer in the crystal cave, but laying outside in a cool patch of grass beneath a shady tree. He could hear a rushing river to his left and the songs of birds above him. Sunlight trickled down from breaks in the forest canopy and touched Optimus' cool frame.  
  
Optimus sat up and shock his head. Then his optical sensors widened in surprise. He was in his robot mode! He was also aware that his memory glitch was cleared up.  
  
"By the Matrix!" Optimus gasped "What happened?"  
  
"You were restored." A deep voice said "In mind and in body."  
  
Optimus turned to see Silverback standing a few feet away. Behind Silverback, in the distance, was a high stone cliff and the back entrance to the crystal chamber.  
  
"You....can talk?" Optimus asked, getting to his feet  
  
"As can you, it would appear," Silverback said, a smile crossing his face "though your gift is due to your species, not a blessing. I am not questioning the true VOK's motives for sending a changeling to lead my people, but I do suggest you use this form sparingly when around the others."  
  
Optimus narrowed his eyes in confusion and frowned.  
  
Silverback paid no heed, he was too excited to notice. He continued "I am so relieved that the Generator found your Essence pure. I would hate to think what would become of this world if the Swarm were to figure out its secrets and take over The Project. Hopefully the true VOK can hold out a little while longer, until our people are advanced enough to aid them."  
  
"I hate to interrupt," Optimus broke in "but what are you talking about?"  
  
Silverback's eyes widened. "You...do not follow me?"  
  
"I'm afraid I'm as lost as a neophyte in the Lower Levels of Cybertron with no guide, no compass, and a dying flashlight."  
  
Silverback blinked, disappointment and sadness filled his eyes. He sighed and said in a tone of voice that made Optimus believe the old gorilla's life depended him "You have their essence inside of you, empowering you! The Generator found your energy to be pure and, yet, you know not of the VOK?"  
  
"I have heard of the Swarm, but they're only characters in a story parents tell their Sparks! They are a part of our legends and folklore. As for the VOK...I'm afraid I don't know who or what they are."  
  
Silverback sighed and shock his head "Then, you are not the one."  
  
"I'm sorry I've gotten your hopes up and I don't mean to sound inconsiderate, but could we attempt to meet on the same level of understanding, please." Optimus said, holding out his hands "I don't understand what you're talking about, but I would like too."  
  
"Very well, let us start with the basics. My name is Silverback, I am the leader and elder of my tribe. We are the favorite species of the Master VOK, Atronai, who created this world in hopes of creating the perfect race....but that was eons ago."  
  
"Who are the VOK?"  
  
"They are the creators and observers of this world. They gave this planet life and watch over those who live here to ensure our survival. They built many monuments to remind their creations of their presence and they littered the land with powerful jewels to increase our powers."  
  
"So, our landlord has a name." Optimus said "The VOK."  
  
"And now, Young One, what is your story? How can you be of the VOK and know nothing of them?"  
  
"My name is Optimus Primal and I am not a VOK. I'm a member of a race called Transformers... to be completely accurate, I'm a Maximal, which is a branch of the Transformer program."  
  
"I see. Where is your place of origin?"  
  
"A planet called Cybertron, several Mega-lightyears from this solar system and, perhaps, a few eons into the future....or past."  
  
"You are unsure of your own existence?"  
  
"No, it's just that....Well, this may take a while to explain."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"Very well then. My crew and I were sent on a space exploration mission a few weeks before we got word that our enemies, the Predicons....a less than prime example of the Transformer race, had captured a very important relic from our Archives. Being the only ship close enough to intercept them, we were ordered to follow and capture them. When we caught up with them, they tried to lose us in a transwarp jump."  
  
"Transwarp?"  
  
"It's a unit of speed. See, 'warp speed' is measured according to how close you reach the speed of light, while 'transwarp speed' is measured according to how many times over the speed of light you go. Problem with transwarp is the higher the number, the greater your chance of cutting a hole in the space/time continuum and being shot into the past or future....and I've lost you?"  
  
Silverback smiled and shock his head "For such strange creatures, your kind is very wise. The VOK are still trying to master the art of controlling time, and you have stumped upon it accidentally."  
  
Optimus smiled wryly, not sure if he should feel insulted or humbled. He cleared his throat and said "Yes, well, with advanced technology comes advanced side-effects, I suppose. As for us, once we exited the transwarp tunnel both ships found themselves over this planet and we crashed."  
  
Silverback nodded, disappointed.  
  
"As for the VOK, I had never heard of them until this very moment. However, I have encountered them, half a stellar cycle ago."  
  
"Half a what?"  
  
"Well....uh...." Optimus scratched the back of his head and thought. How was he going to explain a stellar cycle? "Well, it takes a planet a certain amount of time to revolve around the sun."  
  
"Just as it takes a planet a certain amount of time to rotate around its axis. Yes, I am well aware and well versed in all branches of science, mathematics and the like. You don't become a Keeper because of your good looks. You have to be trained."  
  
"I see." Optimus smiled "Well then, my kind calls the time it takes a planet, namely our home planet, to revolve around the sun a 'stellar cycle'. A rotation is a 'solar cycle'."  
  
Silverback nodded "I see."  
  
"As I was saying, a while back the VOK scanned me shortly after we found one of their... monuments."  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"It was a ring of stones and in the center was an altar. There were energon crystals beneath the altar, but they were set off by one of the Predicons. The next thing we know this beam of light is shot out of the altar and into the sky...a few days later I met the VOK."  
  
"Well, that answers many things. You set off a test. A test no life form on this planet has the knowledge to activate. It takes a lot of brain-power to realize light can fracture through crystals and create a pulsar beam."  
  
"And yet you are well versed in all aspects of 'intelligent' conversation." Optimus said slyly, crossing his arms over his chest  
  
Silverback smiled "It is a gift."  
  
"Some gift."  
  
"As for your essence, they must have endowed it upon you while they were scanning you. Probably an attempt to boost your power or to make you one of them, but more likely it is a tracking device of some sort."  
  
"Tracking device? You mean they're~"  
  
"Keeping an eye on you. But do not worry, as long as you do not activate anymore tests, they will not harm you and the essence should fade with time." Silverback sighed and sat down, head hung and eyes closed. He looked tired, worn out. His age was finally showing.  
  
"Are you all right?" Optimus asked  
  
"I am old, my friend." Silverback sighed "Older than any other member of my tribe. My longevity was a gift from the VOK, as well as my gift of speech, so that I may lead my tribe from their current state to creatures acceptable to the VOK. As I mentioned before, one member of each animal species is given the gifts of advanced speech, intelligence and longevity, so that we may over see the evolution of our species and ensure that The Project does not collapse within itself. We are called Keepers."  
  
Silverback shock his head and started towards the rushing river a few yards away.Once he reached the river bank, he sighed sadly and looked his reflection over in the glowing blue water.  
  
"But even the VOK are mortals and their gifts are finite."  
  
"Why don't the VOK just let the creatures of this world evolve at their own pace?"  
  
"Because that would take too much time. All ready the VOK are becoming poisoned by the Swarm and its evil energies. We must evolve in order to stop the Swarm, before it taints the Essence."  
  
Optimus narrowed his optical sensors, not entirely sure what this 'Essence' was.  
  
Silverback smiled, but only half-heartedly, and said "To bridge the translation gap, let us equate the 'Essence' to the 'Matrix', though the Matrix is, more than likely, a small part of the Essence."  
  
Optimus' optical sensors widened "How do you know about the Matrix?"  
  
"You tell marvelous stories in your sleep, Optimus Primal, only now do they make sense."  
  
Optimus flushed with embarrassment.  
  
He really wasn't sure what to ask next. He had been shown a brief history of the VOK, but what was currently going on in the Realm and the Vortex? How close an eye did the VOK keep on The Project? How close an eye were they keeping on him? What was the 'perfect creature' they were trying to create? What would they do if The Project creatures did not want to join them? How would the VOK react to outside influence? How would The Swarm react? After all, there were millions of other inhabited planets out there and one of those species was bound to find this planet~  
  
Optimus suddenly realized that one race already had. Now only one question could be asked;  
  
What were the VOK planning to do about the Transformers? 


	10. Chapter 10: It Begins

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, portions of the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 10; It Begins  
  
The Crystal Forest was beautiful!  
  
It was all Cheetor could do to keep himself from saying that out loud. Insteed he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, quietly, as a smile crossed his face.  
  
A hand swatted Cheetor on the back of his head and he reluctantly handed the binoculars back to Rhinox.  
  
"All ya had to do was ask." Cheetor said, frowning  
  
The Maximals plus Terrorsaur were perched on the cliff where Waspinator and Scorpinok had planned the down fall of Inferno. The support vines were still hanging from the tree branches, swaying in the breeze. From where they were, the Maximals could see Inferno patrolling the beach and Tarantulus carefully monitoring his equipment. There was no sign of Megatron or Black Arachnia.  
  
"This is the place." Terrorsaur said, pointing down to the valley  
  
"It is quiet." Tigatron growled  
  
"Too quiet." Dinobot said darkly  
  
"Will you two stap tryin' ta scare me!" Rattrap hissed "I gotta enough ta worry about right now."  
  
"No sign of Megatron." Rhinox reported "Or Waspinator, Black Arachnia and Scorpinok for that matter." Rhinox lowered the binoculars and turned to Rattrap "Could be a trap."  
  
"Ya t'ink I don' realize dat?" Rattrap asked "Look, if we don' stap Megabutt now, we'll neva get a second chance. Wid a fraction a dis energon in 'iz stock pile, Megatron will be more dan jist a nuisance, he'll be a threat. We got one shot at dis en we're gonna take it, trap or no trap!"  
  
"Maybe we should wait until we find Optimus." Air Razor suggested  
  
"Oh, gee, t'anks fa da vote a confidence, Raze." Rattrap groaned  
  
"She makes a vague point." Dinobot snorted "Optimus has had more experince with this sort of dilemma. Are you up to this challenge, Rattrap?"  
  
Rattrap did a double take, he couldn't remember the last time Dinobot had called him by his name. He shook off the shock and snapped "Hey! I pulled us t'rough da Alien Pod Incident, didn't I! I may not be a Prime, buht I sure as slag kin take care a me en myown!!! So, da REALLY question iz are you guys ready da take Megabutt down or NAHT?!?"  
  
Dinobot grinned darkly and nodded his approval, impressed at the Vermin's sudden heroics.  
  
Rattrap swallowed hard, wishing to be any other place but where he was. He pulled his pistol out of its holster and said "I take it dere's a cave 'hind dat waterfall, right?"  
  
"Looks that way." Rhinox said  
  
"Too easy." Rattrap muttered, then said "All right, 'ere's da deal. Kid, ya stay up 'ere en watch our backs~"  
  
"What!" Cheetor demanded "Look, I said I was sorry for snapping at you earlier, so why are you sticking me in the rear like some Spark who can't tell a phaser from a lazer pistol?!"  
  
"I ain't stinkin' ya in da back!" Rattrap retorted "Will ya let me finish 'fore ya burn my processors? You stay 'ere, da rest a us are gonna go down ta da valley en split inta two groups. When I give da signal, Cheetor, I want ya ta blast dat blasted ant. Got it?"  
  
"Oh. Okay, I got ya covered." Cheetor said, pulling out his Gut-gun  
  
"Rhinox," Rattrap turned his attention to his old friend "when we git down ta da beach, I wan you en Choppa-Face ta cut right, behind dose crystals. Tigatron, you en Air Razor follow me, we's gonna try ta sneak ta da odda side 'hind da waterfall. Got it?"  
  
"What about me?" Terrorsaur asked  
  
Rattrap was caught. He had forgotten about Terrorsaur. Where to put a potentially dangerous ally?  
  
"Ya go wid Choppa-Face en Rhinox."  
  
"Will do."  
  
"Well," Rattrap sighed, hitting his pistol's charge "here we go."  
  
The group moved out, leaving Cheetor alone on the cliff. The vines continued to sway in the breeze. The branches creaked and the shadows danced.  
  
The group raced down to the edge of the beach. They staied a few klicks in the jungle, but never let the beach out of their sight. Dinobot and Rhinox lead the group, taking long strides as they raced silently through the forest. Rattrap, Air Razor and Tigatron did their best to keep up with the biggest of the Maximals....and Terrorsaur pulled up the rear, tripping quietly over vines and tree roots.  
  
As the group neared the waterfall, Rattrap motioned for everyone to stop and hide as he ducked behind a tree near the edge. Rattrap made a quick glance over to the opposite shore; Inferno was still marching stiffly from one point to the other and Tarantulus was typing information frantically into his scanner. Rattrap glanced up to the top of the cliff; Cheetor watched the group's progress with anticipation. Rattrap swallowed hard and motioned for the group to split into their designated parts.  
  
Air Razor and Tigatron darted for the waterfall, side by side, staying hidden amoung foliage and shadow. Then they lept onto the beach, into a maze of giant energon crystals that kept them hidden. This maze lead right to the waterfall, behind which they disappeared.  
  
"Too easy." Rattrap sighed, looking the maze over "Like sumone's waitin' fa us or sumt'in'."  
  
It was too late to call the plan off, so Rattrap took a deep breath and darted. A heavy hand grab his shoulder and pulled him back. Rattrap managed to swallow a rising scream as he turned to come face to face with Dinobot.  
  
"Don' eva do dat!" Rattrap growled, shoving Dinobot's hand from his shoulder  
  
"It would be wise to avoid contact with the water." Dinobot warned  
  
"Rust should be da last t'ing on ya mind, Choppa-Face."  
  
Dinobot shock his head. "The water has been energized somehow. Should one come in contact with it for an extended period of time his memory files will begin to fade and his logic circuits cross."  
  
Rattrap looked skeptically at Dinobot for a moment, then turned his attention to Terrorsaur. The Pred was following Rhinox down to the beach. Once they reached the beach they fanned out and dove for cover behind two different energon boulders, gun ready. Despite his size, Rhinox moved quickly and quietly across the beach. He taken shelter behind boat shaped energon crystal and was motioning for Dinobot to follow.  
  
Dinobot frowned and waved for Rhinox to be patient.  
  
"Dat da secret ya'fraid Megabutt found?" Rattrap asked "T'ink 'e dumped Terrorsaur in dat riva ta git us 'ere?"  
  
"I would not put such a ruthless idea passed Megatron. He has been know to do far worse than use his own as mindless drones." Dinobot growled  
  
"Unda normal circumstances, I'd tell ya ta git ya main-frame checked," Rattrap said, getting to his feet and racing after Tigatron and Air Razor "budis is fafrom a 'normal circumstance'."  
  
"You are welcome." Dinobot snorted, charging down towards the beach  
  
Rattrap raced through the shrubs, through the maze, and dove behind the roaring waterfall, careful not to get wet. The cave behind the waterfall was deep and dark. A perfect place for an ambush. There was no sign of Air Razor or Tigatron. Rattrap swallowed hard and advanced slowly.  
  
"Stripes? Bird-Lady?" Rattrap whispered  
  
The roar of the water was all Rattrap could hear. He crept through the darkness, careful not to slip on the wet rocks, gun ready.  
  
"Tigatron? Air Razor? Come on, dis ain't no time ta play 'Hide en Seek'! Tigatron? Raze?"  
  
A pair of fingers carefully walked across his shoulder before a strong hand grabbed him. Rattrap whirled, ready to fire.  
  
"I said, 'We're right here'!" Air Razor snapped, jamming her hands on her hips "Pay attention, why don't you?"  
  
"Why do you people insist on drivin' me crazy?" Rattrap demanded  
  
"Is everyone in position?" Tigatron asked  
  
"Ready en waitin'. Let's givem da signal en git dis ova wid."  
  
Rattrap, Tigatron and Air Razor made it to the other side of the waterfall as fast as they could. Through the space between the rushing water and the glimmering rock, the group had a clear shot at Tarantulus. Rattrap turned and looked out the rushing waterfall. He could just make out Cheetor, waiting for the signal. Rattrap raised his arm, hand clenched.  
  
"All right," Cheetor said, charging his pistol "here we go."  
  
Rhinox looked from Cheetor to Dinobot. Dinobot nodded solemnly and the two pulled out their weapons.  
  
Terrorsaur aimed at Tarantulus.  
  
Cheetor watched Rattrap, eyes narrowed.  
  
Inferno reached the end of his patrol run, stop, and turn sharply.  
  
Tigatron got Tarantulus in his sights, as did Air Razor.  
  
Rattrap opened his palm.  
  
Tarantulus adjusted his scanners and smiled darkly to himself. "Perfect." he purred  
  
Cheetor took his aim.  
  
Inferno marched right into Cheetor's site.  
  
Dinobot raised his head at a faint sound, a whisper that appeared all to suddenly.  
  
Rattrap brought his hand down.  
  
Black Arachnia lept out of the trees and kicked Cheetor in the back. Cheetor fired his gun, but the She-Pred's kicked had caused him to lose his balance. He tumbled over the edge of the cliff, towards the Lethe beneath him.  
  
"CHEETOR!!" Rhinox yelled as he watched the young Maximal fall to the glowing water below.  
  
Cheetor's blast raced over Inferno's shoulders and struck one of the crystals. The crystal charged and flashed, sending out an energy pulse that fried Tarantulus' equipment!  
  
"Slag those Maximals!" Tarantulus roared "They've ruined everything! Forget the plan! Inferno, blast them!"  
  
Tarantulus and Inferno turned and started to shot into the waterfall. Rattrap, Tigatron and Air Razor raced out of their hiding place firing at the two Preds.  
  
Tigatron and Air Razor dove behind a crystal that had two other crystals growing out of it. Inferno roared and fired his flame gun at the crystals, slowly melting away the Maximals' protection.  
  
Rattrap kept running, dodging Tarantulus' fire as he raced into the Crystal Forest. The Eight-eyed Predicon raced after him, livid at the destruction of his equipment.  
  
Rhinox stood and took aim at Inferno...when a giant shadow fell over him. Rhinox turned around just in time to see Megatron raise a giant four bladed sword made of stable energon above his head and bring it down.  
  
Dinobot shoved Rhinox out of the way and blocked the blow with his own sword! Rhinox banged his head against one of the boulders and blacked out.  
  
Waspinator and Scorpinok raced out of the jungle and open fire. Terrorsaur had just enough time to leap behind a new energon crystal for cover.  
  
"It's an ambush!" Terrorsaur shouted  
  
One of Waspinator's optical blasts struck an energon crystal behind Terrorsaur. The crystal started to spark. Waves of energy began to surge out of the charged crystal. Terrorsaur lept over his protection, but was still in the air when the crystal exploded. The shock wave hit Terrorsaur and sent him flying. He landed at Scorpinok's feet.  
  
"Now, let's see if we can't jog your memory." Scorpinok said, clicking his claws in excitement.  
  
  
"By the Matrix, what was that!" Optimus shouted  
  
"Sounds like a battle." Silverback said. He rose his nose to the approaching wind and inhaled "Your friends are fighting your enemies, but they are out powered. It would appear the enemy leader has discovered how to use The Gift for destruction."  
  
"Gift?"  
  
"Follow this river to the place it falls, and you will find the Greatest Gift our creators gave us. A valley of powerful crystals. Each color represents a certain power, a certain trait, that must evolve within us if we are ever to reach the VOK. However, the Gift has its own curse. A trickster among the VOK, not fully understanding The Project's purpose, placed crystals in the valley that would drive those who used them insane. Those crystals are rare, but even then the risk is too great....should your enemies find these crystals~"  
  
"Well, we can't let that happen, can we! Come on, my friends are going to need help stopping Megatron! Let's go!"  
  
"No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"I cannot help."  
  
"Why not? Your knowlegde~"  
  
"I am a sworn protector of this planet and it's creatures. You, your allies and your enemies are not of this planet....so I cannot aid you."  
  
Optimus blinked, but for some reason he was not surprised. "Well, you may be free of responsibilities, but I'm not. My crew is in danger and I have to help them! Prime Jets; ON!"  
  
The jets on Optimus' back flared! He rose to the air and started towards the sounds of the battle.  
  
"OPTIMUS!" Silverback shouted.  
  
Optimus stopped and turned back towards Silverback.  
  
"What ever you do, stay clear of the water! When blue crystals are submerged in water their radiation becomes polarized and the new energy frequencies are absorbed into the water! When the water is consumed, the energy frequencies interfere with brain waves and cause the consumer to forget or to scramble recent memories together."  
  
"The River Lethe." Optimus sighed, then to Silverback "But we're robots. We don't~"  
  
"Brainwaves is a relative term. If you think you have 'brainwaves' and the river can harm you. How else do you think you came to believe you were of my kind?"  
  
"But we were never near this river....unless...." Optimus thought it over, then sighed "Of course, Megatron's crystal. I'll have to remember to get it out of the stream before anything else happens."  
  
Optimus held out his hands "Are you SURE you won't come with me?"  
  
Silverback turned towards the Crystal Cave and said nothing.  
  
Optimus sighed, a part of him hurt beyond compair. "Very well. I'll be careful...and thanks for the advice."  
  
Optimus started for the battle.  
  
Silverback was left alone. 


	11. Chapter 11: Confrontations

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, portions of the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 11; Confrontations  
  
Cheetor tumbled towards the roaring water! He screamed, covering his face with his hands and closing his eyes! He jerked to a halt. His breath knocked out of him. He felt a chill rush over him and pierce his Spark Chamber....but he wasn't wet.  
  
Cheetor opened and uncovered his eyes only to find himself flat on his chest entangled in a giant energon web woven between the trees and cliff face, a few klicks above the glowing river. Cheetor's gun spiraled down and disappeared beneath the glowing water.  
  
"Oh, man!" Cheetor groaned "Not again!!!"  
  
"Step into my parlor, said the She-Spider to the Feline." Black Arachnia purred from the cliff.  
  
Cheetor managed to turn his head to see Black Arachnia somersaulted off the cliff and landed on the web. It shivered as she landed, letting out a peaceful humm into the air.  
  
"Ohh, poor kitten." Black Arachnia mused, slowly approaching her prey "Trapped in the evil she-spider's web with no chance of escape."  
  
"Says you." Cheetor snarled  
  
"You're right." Black Arachnia pulled out dagger made of stable energon and spun it in her fingers a few times "Says me." She hurled the dagger at Cheetor's spark chamber.  
  
"BEAST MODE!" Cheetor howled. He transformed and his claws cut him free. Cheetor lept to the right. The dagger rushed passed him, through a hole in the webbing, and embedded itself in the truck of one of the support trees.  
  
"Cheetor, Maximize!" Cheetor yelled as he charged Black Arachnia. He lept into the air, transforming into his robot mode.  
  
Cheetor landed right in front of Black Arachnia, who spun to kick him in the face. Cheetor ducked and punched Black Arachnia right between the eyes. She fell on her back, shocked.  
  
"I've learned a few tricks since the last time we met." Cheetor smirked  
  
"Good." Black Arachnia smiled "I was getting tired of winning so easily."  
  
Black Arachnia lept to her feet and charged Cheetor. She swung her claws at his face, hoping to scratch his optical sensors out. Cheetor took a step back for each swing, but he was eventually going to run out of web. He had to think fast.  
  
Black Arachnia lept into the air, somersaulted over Cheetor, and kicked him in the back. Cheetor started to fall forward, but caught himself and rolled into a crouching position. He turned just in time to see Black Arachnia swing her claws at his face. Cheetor caught her wrists and held her at bay.  
  
The two struggled for a while before Black Arachnia slammed her forehead into Cheetor's. Cheetor released Black Arachnia to cover his forehead and the she-Pred took the oppertunity to slam the back of her foot in Cheetor's face. Cheetor landed on his stomach at the edge of the web, staring down at his watery grave.  
  
"Aww, man!" Cheetor groaned "What ever happened to 'the fairer frequency'?"  
  
  
Megatron and Dinobot glared at one another.  
  
"No lazers." Dinobot growled  
  
"It's your recycling." Megatron snorted  
  
Megatron shoved Dinobot into the boulder and swung his sword.  
  
Dinobot lept.  
  
Megatron's sword struck the energon boulder, sending sparks in every direction. Dinobot landed on top of the boulder, on top of the sword, and kicked Megatron in the face. Megatron was forced back, but his grip on the sword did not fail him. He pulled the sword out from under Dinobot's foot, leaving behind a cut two nano-klicks deep. Mech-fluid began to ooze out of the wound.  
  
Dinobot ignored it. He lept off the boulder, letting out a battle cry that would leave anyone shaken, and charged Megatron. Dinobot's rotary blade slammed into Megatron's energon sword, sending sparks everywhere. The two parted, then charged again with Megatron on the offensive. Megatron swung his sword wildly, but he was no swords-bot.  
  
Dinobot, on the other hand.  
  
"Not as easy as it looks, is it, Megatron?" Dinobot taunted, then he started to quote from one of his old lessons "The one who lives by the blade dies by the blade only when he is careless and brazen. Any who take up the sword and doubt it's power will soon fall to its power!"  
  
"Oh, do shut up and fight!" Megatron growled, rising his sword high. He brought it down hard. Dinobot dodged the swing and spun, kicking Megatron right in the face!  
  
"A warrior's strength is in his spark," Dinobot quoted again "not the weapon he carries."  
  
"SILENCE!" Megatron snapped, swinging again  
  
Dinobot blocked and forced Megatron back. The old warrior swung his sword at Megatron, who blocked each blow. Dinobot made a slice at Megatron's head and as Megatron moved to block it, Dinobot spun around and rammed his sword through Megatron's side. Megatron let out a howl of pain as Dinobot ripped his sword free and rose it high above his head.  
  
  
The crystal melted away, exposing Air Razor and Tigatron to Inferno's rage. The masochistic Predicon stopped shooting and glared at Tigatron.  
  
"So," Inferno sneered "the destroyer of my colony has returned! Burn, Fool, burn in the fires of Inferno!"  
  
Inferno turned his flame thrower to full power and fired at Tigatron. Tigatron grabbed Air Razor by the hand and ran! The trail of fire followed at their heels. Tigatron lept behind another boulder, pulling Air Razor with him. As they landed, Air Razor stumbled and landed in Tigatron's open arms. The earth-born Maximals looked each other in the optical sensors for a click, each blushing a deep crimson.  
  
"I have a fondness for my own stasis pod," Tigatron said, looking away "though I doubt I would slag the bot who scraped it."  
  
"You'd think he'd come up with something original to say, as well." Air Razor said. The two unholstered their guns, stood to return fire.  
  
The ant laughed as each blast struck his frame. "Fools, you can not destroy one created of pain with pain!"  
  
"Does that mean we have to hug him?" Air Razor asked  
  
"By the Matrix, let us hope not." Tigatron groaned  
  
  
Optimus flew as fast as he could. The river beneath him cut its way through the rocky surface like an energon blade through steel, leaving high walls of jagged rock as a testament to its age...then the rock changed into energon. It sparkled like diamonds, glowed like a florescent lamp, and was as smooth and as clear as glass.  
  
"By the Matrix." Optimus gasped, then kicked his jets into over drive.  
  
The river made its way slowly towards the waterfall, towards the battle.  
  
  
Silverback was seated by the side of the river, watching his reflection sorrowfully. He could hear the blasts and explosions of the battle being carried on the wind.  
  
But there was nothing he could do to help Optimus or the other Maximals. It was not his place to interfere. They were not a part of The Project, so their fate was no concern of his. He was a Guardian of the Project, a Keeper, and his first priority was his clan.  
  
Silverback got up and lumbered slowly towards the Crystal Cave. He had been gone most of the day, and his clan was more than likely worried about him. If he hurried, he could make it back to them before sun down.  
  
As the old Keeper disappeared into the Crystal Cave the wind gave on last desperate cry, a rush of gun fire that begged for help. When Silverback paid it now heed, the wind died and the sounds of the distant battle vanished.  
  
  
Rattrap holstered his gun as he made a sharp turn around a collection of crystals and dropped, hidden among their shadows. He waited for what seemed to be an eternity, but Tarantulus didn't come around. Had he really lost the bug that easily?  
  
A cold shadow fell over Rattrap and he heard something crack above him. Rattrap looked up just in time to see Tarantulus, who was standing on top of the crystals, take aim at his head.  
  
"So long, Vermin." Tarantulus purred  
  
Rattrap didn't think, he just reacted; he pulled his gun out of his holster and blasted Tarantulus in the face. Tarantulus tumbled off the crystals with a yelp, his hands clutching his injured face, but not before he fired his gun. Rattrap lept away from the blast, which stuck and absorbed into the energon ground. Ripples of energy followed Rattrap as he rolled to safety, but they did no damage.  
  
Rattrap didn't bother to look back, nor did he bother to look himself over for damages. He just lept to his feet and started running! Tarantulus stumbled around the corner, his hands still over his face.  
  
"Curse you, Vermin!" Tarantulus growled, lowering his hands "When I get my hands on you, I'll~"  
  
Tarantulus was too angry to finish his thought. He let out a murderous howl as he charged after Rattrap, his eyes burning! Rattrap had a head start on the Pred, but there was a reason other than his cunning intelligance that Tarantulus had chosen to be a spider; his long legs. He quickly closed the gap between himself and Rattrap.  
  
"You'll pay for that, Mouse!" Tarantulus growled, reaching out to grab the Maximal by the neck.  
  
Rattrap stopped dead in his tracks, whirled on his heels and slammed his fist into Tarantulus' face, sending the Pred crashing into one of the taller crystals. Rattrap glared at the unconscious spider-bot, his teeth bared in anger.  
  
"I AIN'T a mouse, Bolt-Head!" Rattrap snapped "I'm a RAT!"  
  
  
Black Arachnia raised her leg and brought it down with the intent of crush Cheetor's head.  
  
The young Maximal rolled over on his side and swung his leg up as hard as he could. He caught the lethal fem in the skidplates, knocking her over the web's edge. She let out a shocked little scream as she fell.  
  
Black Arachnia pulled her web-gun out as she tumbled towards the roaring water and fired a strand up into the branches. The energon webbing raced though the canopy and grabbed the strongest branch it could find, clinging to it as thought its life depended on it. Black Arachnia's feet skimmed the surface of the glowing lake as she swung back up to the web.  
  
"Nice try, Kitten." Black Arachnia purred as she landed back on the web "But not good enough."  
  
"Hey, I'm just getting started." Cheetor grinned "Time for Round Two!"  
  
The two rushed and lept at each other. Black Arachnia extended her leg, intending to kick Cheetor in the face. Cheetor turned away, grabbed Black Arachnia's leg and swung her around, sending her flying into a tree.  
  
Black Arachnia shook the sting off and charged for Cheetor as he landed on the web. She swung her claws as he turned and caught him in the face, opening a deep cut along his left cheek. Cheetor reared back and howled like a wounded animal. The she-Pred grinned as she sliced at his chest, opening a wound that ran up from right hip to his left shoulder. The pain cut Cheetor's howl off with a gasp and he dropped to his knees. The wounds began to leak mech-fluid. But Cheetor wasn't about to give up...Warriors don't give up.  
  
Cheetor took a deep, painful breath, and lounged, fists flying. Black Arachnia caught Cheetor's wrists between her claws and began to crush them. Cheetor bore his teeth and snarled as the mech-fluid trickled down his arms. He tried to push her back, tried to pull free, but she was one strong fem.  
  
"Face it, Kitten," Black Arachnia purred, leaning towards him "you're out of your league."  
  
Cheetor growled.  
  
Black Arachnia ran her tongue over her teeth...and kissed him on the lips. Cheetor stopped struggling. His eyes widened in surprise and his central pump skipped a beat. How long they stayed like that, Cheetor had no clue, but every second was like being one with the Matrix. As Black Arachnia broke the kiss, she winked at him...then proceeded to bash her head into his. Cheetor would have fallen onto his back, but Black Arachnia still had a hold on his wrists. He remained upright.  
  
Black Arachnia let her hostage go and drove her knee deep into Cheetor's midsection. Cheetor doubled over in pain. Black Arachnia spun to kick him down. Despite the pain, Cheetor managed to keep his wits about him. He ducked the kick and charged, slamming his shoulder into Black Arachnia's stomach. She stumbled backwards. Cheetor rose and swung, punching her in the face as hard as he could. She stumbled further back.  
  
A drop of mech-fluid found its way into Cheetor's mouth and something inside him snapped.  
  
A pressure valve was released and the world went red...as did Cheetor's eyes. His hands began to shake. His mind raced. The pain from his wounds as that pent up rage, that uncontrolable power and madness that governed Dinobot's existance and had suddenly appeared in his own, was released.   
  
Cheetor had to destroy something.  
  
Cheetor let out his own battle cry and proceeded to slam punch after punch into Black Arachnia's face and torso. Black Arachnia took each hit bravely, but continued to fall back.  
  
Until her feet hit the stone cliff. Black Arachnia ducked and Cheetor slammed his fist into the rock, leaving an imprint of his fist on the cliff's face. Black Arachnia scrambled away the cliff, back towards the middle of the web, followed by an enraged Cheetor.  
  
Black Arachnia stopped in the middle of the web and turned to face Cheetor. Cheetor swung, howling in rage. Black Arachnia ducked the punch and tried to catch Cheetor with an upper-cut. Cheetor caught her wrist and spun her around, forcing her arm behind her and wrapping his free arm around her neck.  
  
"Told you I improved." Cheetor snarled darkly  
  
"You're still a novice." Black Arachnia snapped. She grabbed his arm and flung him over her shoulder. He landed on his feet a few nano-klicks in front of her and spun around to kick her. She back-flipped away.  
  
"This is fun, Kitten." Black Arachnia laughed "Don't stop!"  
  
  
Megatron pointed his Rex canon at Dinobot and fired. The blast grabbed Dinobot by the chest and slammed him into a near by boulder. The energon boulder cracked all the way through at the impact and crumbled, taking Dinobot along with it. As Dinobot's feet hit the ground he dropped his sword as and collapsed on his hands and knees.  
  
Megatron rose to his feet and raced towards Dinobot, sword raised. He brought the sword down as hard as he could. Dinobot pulled his Tail Shield out and used it to block Megatron's blow. The energon blade began to melt the closed shield.  
  
"Face the facts, Dinobot." Megatron taunted "The old ways are dead. Honor only exists in the ring, not on the battle field."  
  
"Says one with no honor at all." Dinobot snarled  
  
Dinobot slid his legs out from under himself and slammed his feet in Megatron's chest, knocking the Predicon leader down. As Megatron fell, Dinobot lept to his feet. He waited. Megatron snarled at Dinobot as he stumbled back to his feet.  
  
The two enemies lounged at each other.  
  
Megatron swung haphazardly, his anger taking control and clouding his judgment. Dinobot dodged each swing, then slammed his shield into Megatron's wounded side. Megatron howled and collapsed to the ground. Dinobot raced to his sword! He scooped it up, sheathed his shield, turned, and raced towards Megatron all in one lethally smooth motion.  
  
Megatron turned just in time to see Dinobot rise his sword high above his head and brought it down with a hellish roar! 


	12. Chapter 12: Turning Point

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, portions of the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 12; Turning Point  
  
Rattrap knelt down next to the fried scanners and testers and looked them over with twisted expressions. Confusion was too gentle a word to describe what Rattrap was feeling.  
  
"Whata slag wuz Legs up ta?" Rattrap muttered, picking up one of the scanners.  
  
The scanner was chard and broken in two, wires frayed and metal twisted. The control panel was hanging by one wire and the screen was cracked. Rattrap licked the tips of his fingers and quickly rolled two exposed wires together. The machine sparked and the engine started to hum. The screen flashed a few times before finally displaying its fractured information.....up-side-down.  
  
"Slag." Rattrap cursed "Serves me right, naht stayin' wake durin' Science Class." He turned the device over and quickly skimmed the information, trying to find words and phrases he knew. "...Purity of Energon; 100%...Gemini Flux....nucleus unstable... stabilizing factor~" Rattrap's eyes widened in shock "Strip my gears en call me a flood lamp! Da thing keepin' dis place neutral is...WATA?"  
  
As the formula H2O flashed at Rattrap, the Maximal spy suddenly realized the two teams were fighting on a keg of dynamite!  
  
  
Terrorsaur got to his feet and took a fighting stance.  
  
"Come on, Claws!" he snapped "Put 'em up! I'm not afraid of you!"  
  
"Now, Terrorsaur, I don't want to hurt you." Scorpinok said, holding up his claws as if to surrender.  
  
Terrorsaur swung.  
  
Scorpinok ducked, covering his head.  
  
Waspinator got socked right in the nose! He swayed for a moment or two before falling backwards into the sand.  
  
Scorpinok turned towards the unconscious Waspinator then turned towards Terrorsaur, growling. Terrorsaur waved him on.  
  
"Come on, I dare you!" Terrorsaur hissed  
  
The two lounged and collided. Terrorsaur grabbed Scorpinok by the wrists and tried to force him back into a near by boulder. Scorpinok wrapped his tail around Terrorsaur's right leg and tried to pull it out from under him. They glared at each other, bearing their teeth and growling.  
  
"Terrorsaur, I don't know what the Maximals did to your mainframe," Scorpinok hissed, tightening his tail around Terrorsaur's leg "but if you would just let me explain~"  
  
"Ha!" Terrorsaur snorted, getting a better grip on Scorpinok's wrists "If anyone's mainframe is corrupt, it's yours, Pal!"  
  
Terrorsaur slammed his forehead into Scorpinok's and Scorpinok started to see stars. Scorpinok collapsed to his knees and his tail slid off Terrorsaur's leg, lifeless. Terrorsaur quickly jabbed his knee into Scorpinok's jaw, forcing the Pred to his feet. Terrorsaur released Scorpinok's wrists, grabbed his old ally by the tail and began to spin him around.  
  
Waspinator slowly got to his feet, his hands over his nose, muttering something about his rotten luck and Terrorsaur's bad aim. He lowered his hands from his nose to make sure it wasn't leaking mech-fluid when he heard a scream. Waspinator looked up just in time to see Scorpinok go flying passed him and crash into a boulder.  
  
Waspinator swallowed hard before turning towards Terrorsaur, who waved him on. Waspinator pointed to himself, confused.  
  
"Samatta?" Terrorsaur chided "You chicken?"  
  
"No, wasp." Waspinator answered cautiously, starting to circle Terrorsaur  
  
Terrorsaur grinned from ear to ear, fists raise and legs braced for whatever Waspinator would throw at him. Waspinator continued to make his circle, eyes narrowed and having NO intention of attacking his best friend. What was he going to do?  
  
  
Inferno laughed as he was pummeled with lazer fire. Never in his existence had he felt this powerful, this energized, this good!  
  
Tigatron and Air Razor stopped firing long enough to examine their charges.  
  
"I'm almost out of ammo and we haven't even scratched him." Air Razor said  
  
"Then it would appear there is only one way to deal with this Predicon." Tigatron said, holstering his gun. Before Air Razor had a chance to stop him, Tigatron lept out from behind the boulder and charged Inferno.  
  
Inferno was still laughing when Tigatron slammed his fist into the Pred's face. Inferno stopped laughing as he stumbled backwards a few steps and shock his head.  
  
"So, the Peace-keeper has finally decided to try his hand at war." Inferno sneered "Now we shall see how well you can handle the heat!"  
  
Tigatron growled and swung again. Inferno knocked the punch away and slammed his head into Tigatron's. Tigatron stumbled back and shook his head. Inferno spun and kicked Tigatron in the stomach, causing him to double over.  
  
"Tigatron!" Air Razor shouted as she raced to help him  
  
Inferno laughed as he clenched his hands together and brought them down, intending to slam Tigatron on the back of his neck. Tigatron quickly slipped between Inferno's arms and gave the Pred an upper-cut that set him tumbling backwards. Inferno shock his head, shooked....and pleased.  
  
"Looks like you didn't need my help, after all." Air Razor teased as she reached Tigatron's side  
  
"It would have been appreciated regardless." Tigatron said  
  
Inferno burst out laughing, pounding the ground with one clenched fist. Tigatron and Air Razor took defensive stances and shot each other worried looks.  
  
"FINALLY!" Inferno roared, leaping to his feet and throwing aside his rifle "A battle fit for a loyal soldier! FOR THE ROYALTY!"  
  
Air Razor and Tigatron braced themselves as the giant Predicon charged them, still laughing and not intending on losing this battle.  
  
  
"I gotta contact de odda's." Rattrap said, flipping his comlink on "I gotta warn 'em, no energy weapons. Cuz if dis place picks up enough of a charge.....we're all gonna die"  
  
"Brilliant deduction, Perceptor." a voice hissed from behind Rattrap  
  
Rattrap spun around to come face to face with Tarantulus' blaster.  
  
"A pity you won't be able to share my findings with your friends." Tarantulus purred, charging his gun.  
  
This was not the way Rattrap hoped to go, but he didn't close his eyes.  
  
Tarantulus aimed...and was blasted backwards.  
  
Rattrap turned towards the direction of the saving blast, up into the sky, to see Optimus descending from the top of the falls.  
  
"FEARLESS LEADA!" Rattrap shouted, jumping to his feet and waving "AM I EVA GLAD TA SEE YOU!"  
  
"You don't have to shout." Optimus laughed, landing next to Rattrap "My audio sensors are working prime."  
  
"I sure hope so." Rattrap said, grinning from audio sensor to audio sensor. Then he slugged Optimus in the shoulder as hard as he could.  
  
Optimus' eyes widen in shook. He grabbed his shoulder and managed a befuddled "Ow?"  
  
"DAT'S fa goin' ape en leavin' me in charge!" Rattrap snapped, still grinning  
  
"Slag you, Primal!" Tarantulus hissed, stumbling to his feet "I'll make you pay."  
  
Optimus narrowed his eyes at the Predicon then turned his attention to Tigatron and Air Razor. They were trying their best to land a punch on the masochistic Predicon, who, despite his love of pain, was dodging each swing with ease.  
  
"Can you take him?" Optimus asked Rattrap, motioning to Tarantulus  
  
"Legs caught me off guard," Rattrap said "won' happen again."  
  
"Good luck." Optimus said and unsheathing his swords he raced towards Inferno  
  
"Come back here, you over grown monkey!" Tarantulus shouted, aiming at Optimus  
  
Rattrap slugged Tarantulus in the jaw. The Pred stumbled back, howling.  
  
"Dat's fa da 'Perceptor' crack, Bolt-Head." Rattrap said, then added with a smirk "En gorillas ain' monkeys."  
  
  
Cheetor grabbed his stomach and fell to his knees. He was losing mech-fluid by the keload. As he grew weaker his battle rage faded, his vision blurred and his head started to spin.  
  
"Aw, what's the matter, Kitten?" Black Arachnia asked, coming over to him "To tired to squash this little spider?"  
  
She spun around and kicked Cheetor in the face, sending the young Maximal flying into one of the trees to which the web was tied. Cheetor slumped down onto his stomach, his back to Black Arachnia, and gazed down at his watery grave....at the energon dagger wedged in the tree!  
  
"Well, this has been fun, Pussy-Cat." Black Arachnia said as she pulled out her gun.  
  
Cheetor stretched his arm through the web and tried to grab the dagger.  
  
"But I really don't have time for another round." Black Arachnia started to charge her gun and took aim right between Cheetor's shoulder blades.  
  
The tips of Cheetor's fingers brushed up against the dagger. He bore his teeth and snarled as he strained.  
  
"Don't worry about your friends, you'll be seeing them in the Great Beyond soon enough." Black Arachnia smirked.  
  
Cheetor yanked the dagger from the tree and hurled it at Black Arachnia. The dagger wedged itself firmly in the mouth of the She-Pred's blaster just as she fired. The crystal charged and sent an energon surge pulsing back through Black Arachnia's frame. She screamed as raw energy raced through her, frying her circuits. Her body arched and she shut down.  
  
Cheetor stumbled to his feet and leaned against the tree for support. The web glittered with mech-fluid from his frame and Black Arachnia's. 'Strange,' Cheetor thought, 'It's the same color for Preds as it is for Maximals.' Cheetor turned towards Black Arachnia and looked her over. Ripples of energy still washed over her frame.  
  
"Computer." Cheetor managed to whisper "Status of Predicon unit Black Arachnia?"  
  
"Unit Black Arachnia in stasis lock Level 2. Minimal damage due to energon surge. Time until fully function, 1.16 deca cycles."  
  
Cheetor smirked and slowly, painfully, made his way to the cliff. As he passed the still form of Black Arachnia, he said "Here's lookin' at you, Kid."  
  
  
Scorpinok peeled off the boulder and landed on his back hard. He rolled slowly onto his stomach and forced himself to his feet. By this time, Terrorsaur had his back to him, facing Waspinator....who's circle had taken him into the shrubs and bushes that lined the valley.  
  
"Where are you going, Coward!" Terrorsaur shouted "Trying to run, are you? Well, I'll not let that happen!"  
  
Scorpinok lounged and grabbed Terrorsaur, one arm around his waist, the other around his neck and his tail around his legs. Terrorsaur's arms were pinned at his sides.  
  
"Waspinator, get him! Knock him out!" Scorpinok shouted  
  
Waspinator had serious reservations about hitting another Predicon, but now didn't seem like the time to try and explain them to Scorpinok. Waspinator bite his bottom lip and charged, fists clenched and teeth bared. He skid to a halt, nano-klicks from knocking Terrorsaur and Scorpinok over, and swung!  
  
  
Megatron blocked the blow with his own sword and opened his Rex Head. He swung, catching Dinobot's middle between the gaping jaws, and slammed them shut as hard as he could! Dinobot's eyes widened in shock, but he didn't make a sound. Megatron rose and threw Dinobot into a near by boulder. Dinobot slammed into the boulder and fell to the ground, face first.  
  
Megatron grinned and stomped over to his wounded opponent. Dinobot tried to rise, but Megatron kicked him in the face, knocking the old warrior onto his back. Megatron pinned Dinobot to the ground with his foot and pointed his energon sword at Dinobot's spark chamber.  
  
"This time I won't miss!" Megatron growled  
  
"Hey." a deep voice echoed in Megatron's ear.  
  
Megatron turned.  
  
"Lay off!" Rhinox slammed his fist into Megatron's face.  
  
The Predicon leader was sent flying into a near by energon boulder. The impact caused the sword to shatter against the boulder.  
  
Rhinox charged Megatron, slamming his fists into the Pred's stomach and face. A third time, a fourth time, a fifth and sixth. Megatron had no time to retaliate, Rhinox' attack was fast and powerful. Rhinox stopped and took two steps back, giving Megatron time to catch his breath, before he spun and slammed his foot into Megatron's chest. Megatron doubled over and collapsed to his knees. Rhinox lounged and gave Megatron an upper cut that would make his descendants dizzy. The force of the blow set the Pred leader back on his feet. Rhinox took a deep breath and clenched both hands together. He swung as hard as he could, and sent the Pred flying back into the jungle.  
  
Rhinox watched the forest, waiting for Megatron to come charging out of the woods. When Megatron didn't appear, Rhinox took a few deep breathes to calm himself and returned to Dinobot.  
  
Dinobot struggled to get to his feet, every nano-klick of his frame hurt. He let his sword slid out of his hand as he tried to raise himself up against the boulder. He had managed to get on one knee by the time Rhinox reached him.  
  
"Hey," Rhinox said, grabbing Dinobot's arm and pulling him to his feet "are you all right, Dinobot?"  
  
Dinobot shock his head to clear it, but said nothing. He angrily pulled his arm free from Rhinox' grip and tried to walk. His legs gave way beneath him. Rhinox grabbed Dinobot by the shoulders to steady him.  
  
"Easy, Old Timer." Rhinox said "The fight's not going anywhere."  
  
Dinobot glared at Rhinox, but his expression softened in shame as he said "Why must I constantly owe my existence to you Maximals!"  
  
"Cuz that's what team mates do; we look after each other. Besides, you saved my hide. Why shouldn't I return the favor?" Rhinox asked  
  
Dinobot looked the giant Maximal in the optical sensors and nodded his thanks.  
  
"It would appear I am getting too old for battle." Dinobot snorted, leaning against a near by boulder for support.  
  
"Nah!" Rhinox waved the statement off with a smile "You just need to stop being so slaggin' honorable when it comes to Megatron. Ever notice the only way he can beat you is if he cheats?"  
  
As the giant Maximal handed Dinobot back his sword the Old Predicon Warrior considered what Rhinox had said...and smiled.  
  
  
Terrorsaur ducked his head and Waspinator slugged Scorpinok right between the eyes. Scorpinok released Terrorsaur and stumbled back.  
  
"Sorry." Waspinator said with a shrug.  
  
Terrorsaur smirked and was about to knock Waspinator into the forest when Scorpinok rammed the tip of his tail through Terrorsaur's neck. Terrorsaur's eyes bulged out in shock! He slowly lowered his arm and tried to swallow. Scorpinok ripped the tip out of Terrorsaur's neck and watched at he sank to the ground.  
  
"Scorpinok slagged Terrorsaur!" Waspinator wailed, shocked and oddly saddened by the event.  
  
"I did not!" Scorpinok snorted "I just put him to sleep with a tranquilizer!"  
  
Waspinator blinked "Oh."  
  
"Now we just have to figure out a way to undo whatever the Maximals did to him. Hold him."  
  
Waspinator got on his knees behind Terrorsaur and held him up in a seated position. Scorpinok activated his Cyber-Bee and, kneeling down in front of Terrorsaur, attached it to Terrorsaur's chest. He then opened the Bee's back panel and pulled out a two wires, which he plugged into the sides of his head.  
  
"Okay, Cyber-Bee, let's see what you can see."  
  
Waspinator rolled his eyes at the bad pun, but said nothing.  
  
As Scorpinok toured Terrorsaur's mainframe, he found that several memory files were blocked. It took a while to get them all free, but no one was paying much attention to them so he could take his time. As the memories were released, the old Terrorsaur returned.  
  
  
Inferno dropped to the ground, avoiding a punch thrown by Air Razor, and swung his legs out from under him, knocking Tigatron down. His legs continued in their swing to arch over his head, and using his left hand Inferno pushed himself into the air. He back-flipped and landed on top of a boulder a few feet from Air Razor.  
  
"Impressed?" he asked the She-hawk  
  
Air Razor snorted "I've seen better moves on slothes." but to tell the truth she was impressed. VERY impressed.  
  
Inferno flipped off the boulder and charged Air Razor. Tigatron lept to his feet and the two Maximals charged Inferno. Tigatron slammed his shoulder into the Pred's stomach, forcing him back. Inferno drove his feet into the energon ground and bent forward, trying to oppose Tigatron's force. The two struggled, one to knock the other over and the other to stay on his feet. Inferno grabbed Tigatron by the waist and picked him up, balancing the Maximal on his shoulder.  
  
"Hey!" Air Razor snapped "Let's keep this on the ground, shall we?"  
  
Air Razor slammed her foot into Inferno's stomach. Inferno winced then raised Tigatron high above his head and threw him into Air Razor. The two went flying, crashing to the ground a few klicks from Inferno.  
  
"Fools." Inferno snorted "You can not defeat me. I LIVE for pain. I RELISH in it. All you do by fighting me is make me stronger!"  
  
Tigatron and Air Razor stumbled to their feet and looked Inferno over. He jammed his hands on his hips and laughed "I have been trained by Megatron, himself! The Leader of the Predicons and soon the Ruler of the Universe! I can NOT be defeated!"  
  
"Is that so?" a voice said from behind him. Inferno turned to see Optimus twirling his swords in his hands.  
  
"Care to take a guess as to who taught me this move?" Optimus asked. He lounged, slicing at Inferno with his swords. Inferno lept back, but as he landed Optimus turned and slammed his foot right into the Pred's midsection. Inferno was sent tumbling, head over thorax, into a near by boulder.  
  
"Cuz one thing's for sure," Optimus said with a smile "it wasn't Megatron."  
  
  
"Hey, Fellow Fighters, what's the good word?" Cheetor asked as he limped over to Dinobot and Rhinox.  
  
"Not you too!" Rhinox said, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked Cheetor's wounds over  
  
"What? They're battle scars."  
  
"Honestly, you're as bad as Dinobot."  
  
"Fems dig a bot with battle scars."  
  
Dinobot glared at Cheetor, snorting "Since when!"  
  
Cheetor smirked "Now, don't tell me the Great Dinobot never had a few fems admiring his marks of bravery."  
  
Dinobot turned away a little too quickly and a little too pointedly. Cheetor, realizing he had caught the old warrior, started to laugh.  
  
"You have a two tracked mind, Cheetor." Rhinox sighed  
  
"Two tracked?"  
  
"Yeah. One track is Fems and the other is how to impress them."  
  
Cheetor smiled and shrugged.  
  
Suddenly it began to rain lazer fire! Terrorsaur flew high about the Maximals with Waspinator by his side. Below them was Scorpinok, his claws clicking away excitedly.  
  
"Predicons!" Terrorsaur shouted "Attack!"  
  
"Well, so much for that alliance." Rhinox sighed, pulling out his double-barreled guns "Sure hope you two can go another round, because the bell's just rung. Let's go!"  
  
  
Megatron sat up, covered from head to toe in jungle vines, leaves and several species of flora, and shock his head.  
  
"I must remember not to let my guard down around that one." he sighed  
  
Megatron looked the battle field over with narrowed eyes. Optimus arrival had sparked a turn around in the battle, and the Maximals were winning.  
  
"Hmm. Not as I had planned it, no." Megatron snorted, standing up and brushing off the various plants that covered him. "It would appear that I must take matters into my own hands and dispose of the Maximals..." Megatron opened his Rex Cannon and hooked two fiery red crystals to the out-put port "...personally." 


	13. Chapter 13: The Final Hour

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, portions of the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 13; The Final Hour  
  
Spike yawned and rubbed his eyes. Optimus and Silverback had been gone so long that he had fallen asleep. Spike cautiously peeked out from behind his bush and looked around. No sign of either of the older gorillas. Spike frowned and crept out of the bushes and onto the path.  
  
The sun was just moments away from setting and the land was just beginning to dawn its evening colors. In the distance was a strange rumble, a mixture of thunder and the rushing of the ocean at high tide. Spike wasn't sure what made this new sound, but he could remember the exact day it was first heard and from which direction the wind had brought it.  
  
Spike turned towards the cavern entrance as a cold breeze rushed out. The entrance wasn't as dark as it had been, nor was it as scary. Spike took a deep breath and started into the cave. The brightly colored rocks seemed to glow with a life of their own, but Spike paid little attention to that. He was trying to follow Optimus' scent.  
  
Nose to the ground and determined to find Optimus, Spike followed the trail deep into the cave, up a flight of steps and into the center of a circular platform surrounded by crystal pillars. Spike was trying to figure out which way the trail went from there when he heard a loud grinding sound. The young gorilla looked up just in time to see the last useable rays of sunlight collect in the pillars and start the Generator.  
  
  
Rattrap waved the frustrated Predicon on, a big grin on his face.  
  
"Come on, ya ova grown Toasta! What ya waitin' fa?"  
  
"When I'm finished with your frame," Tarantulus snarled as he charged "no one will able to identify you."  
  
Rattrap ducked and tripped Tarantulus as he lounged. Tarantulus tumbled to the ground and crashed into his scanners.  
  
"Promises, promises." Rattrap snorted, getting back to his feet "Ya do realize dat any energy blasts dat hit deses crystals brings 'em one step closa to explodin', right?"  
  
"Of course, you miserable vermin," Tarantulus hissed, stumbling to his feet "you learned that little piece of scientific knowledge from MY scanners! I happen to know everything about this valley's little secret."  
  
"Jist checkin'." Rattrap said, pulling out his pistol. He twirled it around his trigger finger for a moment then shot the crystal behind Tarantulus. The crystal charged, sparked, and exploded, sending Tarantulus flying into the forest and Rattrap towards the river.  
  
Rattrap crashed onto the beach, bounced, skid and rolled for a few klicks before slamming into a boulder at the water's edge. Dazed but not injured, he managed to pull himself to his feet, saying "Ain't neva doin' dat again."  
  
As Optimus, Air Razor and Tigatron made their way towards the stunned Inferno a red haze started to filter out of the forest. A strange and very unnerving energy impulse washed over the valley and sent a chill down everyone's back.  
  
"ENOUGH!!!" a voice boomed over the valley. Every battle stopped and all the combatants turned towards the voice.  
  
Rattrap massacred his throbbing temples as he tried to remember the first 13 Autobot leaders -- a drill he always did when ever he had taken a blow to the head -- when an energy blast raced passed him and took out most of the forest behind him.  
  
Rattrap gasped and looked over at the other side of the river.  
  
Megatron, his frame a pattern of hellish reds and blacks, stood at the edge of the forest, glowing a bright red. He laughed a dark, sinister laugh that sent chills down everyone's spine.  
  
"You!" Megatron thundered, pointing towards Rhinox "You are mine!"  
  
"He doesn't give up, does he?" Rhinox said to Dinobot  
  
"Not easily." Dinobot snorted, raising his sword.  
  
"No, he challenged me." Rhinox said "Besides, you're wounded."  
  
"That has never stopped me before!"  
  
"Well, there is always a first time for everything."  
  
Dinobot snorted angrily, but stood down. The giant Maximal cracked his knuckles as he approached the Predicon Leader, whose burning eyes seemed to be glaring right into Rhinox's spark. Rhinox stopped a few feet in front of Megatron and they squared off.  
  
The Maximals and Predicons watched, holding their collective breathes.  
  
Rhinox charged, letting out a roar that shock the jungle canopy. He clenched his fist and swung as hard as he could. Megatron dodged the punch, spun and slammed his foot into Rhinox's stomach. The giant Maximal was sent flying! He crashed into Dinobot, and the two Maximals raced across the river, crashing to the ground by Optimus' feet.  
  
"Rhinox!" Rattrap shouted, but he was too shocked to move.  
  
Cheetor swallowed hard. Megatron raised his Rex Cannon and aimed at Cheetor. The two red crystals Megatron had hooked to his cannon began to glow. A high pitched whistle filled the air. The light grew brighter. The whistle became a hum. Cheetor covered his face with his hands.  
  
Megatron smiled a savage smile as he rose his Rex Cannon high above his head and fired. A pulsing beam of red light raced towards the sky, the air cracked with its power.  
  
Every nano-klick of Rhinox's frame hurt, his head was spinning, his vision was blurred, and he was certain that something was broken. Optimus took his old friend by the hand and helped him to his feet.  
  
"I know this is a stupid question, but are you two all right?" Optimus asked  
  
"As Rattrap used to say 'As long as I can remember my name and basic program'." Rhinox groaned  
  
"Are you all right, Dinobot?" Tigatron asked as he grabbed Dinobot by the arm and helped the Pred to his feet  
  
Dinobot snorted and shook his head to clear it. The hum admitted by the crystal was rising in pitch, and it was killing Dinobot's audio senors.  
  
Slowly, painfully, Inferno managed to sit up. He placed his hands on his head and groaned, vowing never to let his guard down around Optimus again. Then something caught Inferno's optical sensors. Several small crystals on the ground were starting to tremble. Then they started to rattle. Finally, they danced and jumped into the air.  
  
The world shook from the power admitted from Megatron's lazer blast. The air was burning hot and beginning to roar.  
  
Giant energon crystals tumbled down from the top of the waterfall, landing nano-klicks from the river's edge and micro-klicks from Inferno's right leg. The Predicon lept to his feet and took a few steps back, eyes fixed on Megatron.  
  
"Royalty?" Inferno whispered, shocked  
  
Ribbons of energy flowed from Megatron's cannon. The beam had begun to heat up the air, the water and the earth all around Megatron. The sky was fill with the whistle of steam striking hot rock.  
  
The rocky cliff began to break apart, its pieces sending waves of glowing water onto the riverbank as they crashed into the river. Black Arachnia sat up groggily just in time to see the supports of her web snap. She screamed as the web arched down towards the river. The supports on the trees held and the web brushed the surface of the boiling river. Suddenly the web twisted in the middle and snapped in half. Black Arachnia was thrown across the river...right into Rattrap's open arms. Rattrap stumbled back a few steps, braced all his weight on his right leg and stood.  
  
"Heh, look what I caught." he hissed "A Flying Widow."  
  
"Eww!" Black Arachnia growled "Gross!"  
  
"You ain' my dream date eitha, Webs." Rattrap snorted, dropping her onto the ground.  
  
Black Arachnia lept to her feet and glared down at Rattrap, her teeth bared. The thundering sound of angered earth caused her and Rattrap to turn just in time to see the cliff collapsed, cutting the lake off from the river, forming a land bridge.  
  
Megatron started to laugh. The heat and the waves of energy increased as the beam roared through the sky. Cheetor raced towards the newly formed bridge, determined to get to the other side. He was followed closely by the three frightened Predicons.  
  
On top of the Energon Mountain the crystals cracked and tumbled towards the river below them. They bounced and rolled along the edge of the valley before landing with a splash in the glowing water.  
  
"MEGATRON!" Optimus hollowed "STOP! YOU'LL DESTROY US ALL!"  
  
The water in the lake was rising. Lethe's glowing liquid crept towards the valley like a snake towards its prey.  
  
Cheetor and Scorpinok raced across the bridge, one behind the other, as fast as they could. On one side of the bridge was the boiling lake, on the other was a three klick drop that gained depth as the river was drained. Cheetor allowed himself one brief moment to be awed at how deep the river had been, then he returned to trying to save his skidplates.  
  
The raging lake water slammed into the barricade, shaking some of the rocks loose. Scorpinok lost his footing and started to tumble towards the draining river when Terrorsaur and Waspinator flew over head. They grabbed him by the claws and carried to the other side.  
  
"Thanks for the lift." Scorpinok said  
  
"I owe you one." Terrorsaur replied "If you hadn't of knocked me out I would still think I was a Maximal."  
  
The water slammed into the bridge again, and Cheetor stumbled and crashed to a halt. He lay there, afraid to move, as the world around him shook from heat and energy. The water from the lake swelled towards the bridge and the collision tore away the back portion. The remainin stones started to slide back to fill the gap.  
  
Cheetor turned to see the bridge falling away behind him. Now he had no choice. He lept to his feet and charged toward the shore, stumbling as he went. The falling stones caught up with Cheetor's feet. He was almost at the shore.  
  
"SPOTS!" Rattrap shouted "JUMP!"  
  
Cheetor bit his bottom lip and lept. The bridge washed away. Chettor sailed through the air, arms streched out behind him. He landed at the edge of the new beach, the water lapping his ankeles, and his legs gave way beneath him. He stumbled forwards, right into Black Arachnia's arms. Black Arachnia's body tensed in surprise as Cheetor stood and their eyes met.  
  
With the bridge gone the lake raced out towards the jungle, flooding the river banks and washing the energon crystals down stream.  
  
The world continued to vibrate, and it continued to grow intensively worse as each moment passed. The energon ground began to crack and splinter, pieces rose and sank at a whim.  
  
Rattrap stumbled back as one energon block sank beneath his left foot.  
  
"Yikes!" he shouted  
  
"Rattrap! Cheetor!" Optimus shouted "Get your skidplates over here!"  
  
"You heard Fearless Leada," Rattrap growled, pulling Cheetor away from Black Arachnia "let's git outta 'ere."  
  
As Rattrap and Cheetor raced towards the other Black Arachnia started to follow. She hesitated, not sure what to do. Scorpinok made her mind up for her. As Terrorsaur and Waspinator dropped him next to the Widow, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her along, Waspinator and Terrorsaur at their heels, as they followed to Maximals.  
  
Suddenly Megatron ceased his fire, collapsing onto one knee, gasping for air. The crystals in his Rex Cannon sparked and sent bands of energy down his arm. The world stopped shaking. The water calmed, clouds of steam rushing towards the cooling sky. The lake began to shrink as the river was reborn.  
  
Cheetor skid to a halt right next to Optimus as the two groups merged. No one knew what to make of what had happened. No one knew what Megatron had done or why he had done it.  
  
Until Rhinox cast an unsteady glance towards the sky.  
  
"By the Matrix!" he gasped  
  
Dinobot and Black Arachnia followed his gaze.  
  
"By the Pit!" Black Arachnia hissed  
  
"All great leaders leave their mark," Dinobot quoted an ancient Decepticon text as he turned towards Optimus "Be it physical or in memory. The memory fades, so etch your mark in stone."  
  
"What?" Optimus turned his eyes towards the sky...and gasped.  
  
One of the two moons, the farthest moon to be exact, was engraved with the Predicon symbol.  
  
Megatron chuckled weakly to himself then stood up and roared with such emotion that even Inferno was shaken. The masochistic Predicon ducked behind Optimus for protection.  
  
In the near by jungle, Tarantulus slowly got to his feet.  
  
"I'll.....get.....that......rat." he hissed, then he heard the thunderous roar. "What the~?"  
  
He stumbled towards the valley and stopped at its edge. The Maximals and Predicons were intermingled, all of them staring down a super charged Megatron.  
  
"Behold!" Megatron howled "The future leader of the universe! The leader of the Predicons, the destroyer of the Maximals, the RULER of ALL EXISTANCE!" Megatron started to laugh hysterically.  
  
Black Arachnia shock her head, her short fuse shortened even more by Megatron's last action. She stomped over to the edge of the lake and screamed "YOU'RE CRAZY!"  
  
Megatron stopped laughing and glared over at Black Arachnia. "WHAT!"  
  
"You could have gotten us killed," she screamed "and for what? So you could doodle!"  
  
Tarantulus covered he eyes and shock his head.  
  
Megatron looked Black Arachnia over with narrowed eyes. He rose his Rex Cannon and fired. Cheetor lounged and knocked Black Arachnia away from the beam. Waspinator and Terrorsaur ducked as it raced over their heads and took out a portion of the forest behind them, klicks to Tarantulus' left.  
  
Black Arachnia shoved Cheetor off of her and got to her feet.  
  
"Thanks." she growled  
  
"Any time, Sweetheart." Cheetor snorted  
  
"What has gotten into you, Megatron?" Optimus demanded  
  
"Power," Megatron thundered "my dear Optimus Primal, power! Pure, untainted, untouched power! The power spoken of in legends, the power recorded on the Golden Disks, the power Unicron devoured, the power that my ancestors craved, the power your ancestors chased across the galaxy! The power I have waited my whole life to find. The power to destroy planets, rule peoples, and conquer galaxies."  
  
Megatron took a deep breath and let it out slowly, glaring at Optimus. He rumbled "Come. Taste that power."  
  
Megatron fired. The heart of the beam was aimed right at Optimus, but it was so wide it appeared Inferno and Dinobot were going to join Optimus on the path to the Greater Spark.  
  
The group scattered, ducking behind what ever they could find for cover.  
  
Optimus dove behind a collection of crystals near the waterfall with Inferno and Air Razor; Tigatron and Cheetor wound up behind a boulder not to far from them. Dinobot, Rattrap, Black Arachnia and Waspinator took shelter behind some of the boulders that still lined the river bank. Not far from them was Rhinox, Scorpinok and Terrorsaur.  
  
Megatron continued to fire...but his blasts never reached the Maximals or Predicons. The energon fragments they hid behind were big enough to absorded the blasts, and since most of them were growing out of the energon ground, the energy was directed away from the Transformers.  
  
Optimus sighed as he watched the energon absord the lazer fire. But he had to wonder just how much of Megatron's fire power the Valley could absorb. One thing was certain, they couldn't find forever. They had to fight back!  
  
"This not how Waspinator planned on going." Waspinator mooped, his wings saged sadly on his back  
  
"And it will not be the way any of us go." Dinobot snarled, getting to his feet. He fired his optical lazers at Megatron...only to have them bounce off and hit Energon mountain. The mountain shimmered as the energy was absorbed.  
  
As Megatron fired at Dinobot, Black Arachnia grabbed his arm and yanked him down, growling "You Block-Head, you want to get all of us killed!"  
  
"Better to die fighting, as warriors should, than perish hiding like cowards!" Dinobot roared, pulling his arm free.  
  
"Yeah, well, sometimes hiding like cowards is the wiser thing to do." Scorpinok snapped "Besides...we won't let you hurt Megatron."  
  
"Get a clue, you Block-Head!" Terrorsaur snarled "Megatron is trying to kill all of us!"  
  
"NO!" Scorpinok growled "Megatron wouldn't kill one of his own!"  
  
"You have forgotten the insident at Silicon Valhan." Dinobot snorted  
  
Scorpinok's turned away pointedly.  
  
Megatron continued to fire at the Maximals and Predicons, and the Energon continued to absorb each blast. As Rattrap watched the energon shimmer with power he got an idea.  
  
"If you're going to commit suicide," Black Arachina hissed at Dinobot "at least give me a chance to get away. Some of us actually ENJOY living!"  
  
"No kin do, Webs," Rattrap said, slamming a new charge in his pistol "we need ya fyah powa."  
  
"What?" Black Arachnia asked  
  
"Energon kin only hold so much energy." Rattrap said "even if it iz pure. If we kin supercharge da energon on Megatron's side a da Valley, we kin short 'im out. Ready, Choppa-Face?"  
  
"I've BEEN ready, Vermin." Dinobot snorted  
  
The two rose to their feet opened fire. The blasts bounced right off Megatron and refracted, some hitting the mountain some hitting the valley floor, but the energon was charging. Megatron ceased his own fire, crossed his arms and stood perfectly still.  
  
"FOOLS!" he lauhed "You can't kill a god!"  
  
After a moment or two, Waspinator joined the two Maximals in their shot out and finally, Black Arachnia joined in.  
  
"What the slag are they doing!" Cheetor asked, pointing towards the others  
  
"Rattrap, Dinobot cease fire!" Optimus ordered "You two trying to get killed!?!"  
  
The two Maximals kept firing. As did the two Predicons.  
  
Terrorsaur watched for a moment, then angrily shoved himself to his feet and started firing at Megatron. Scorpinok looked over at Rhinox, shrugged, and joined in the firing squad. Rhinox took out his Double Barrel guns, cocked them, and started shooting the moment he got to his feet.  
  
"What are they doing?" Air Razor asked  
  
"Venting." Optimus sighed, then he caught a glimpse of Tarantulus' fried scanners and the burned ground where the crystal exploded "No, they're trying to charge the crystals."  
  
"But doesn't energon explode when it picks up an extra charge?" Air Razor asked  
  
"We don't have enough power to get one of these monsters to explode," Optimus said, charging his guns "but we might be able to give Megatron one heck of an energon surge."  
  
"What makes you think I will allow you to harm The Royalty!" Inferno demanded, getting to his feet and glaring down at Optimus. Megatron saw him and opened fire. Inferno had just enough time to dive to the ground before the blast hit the energon ledge behind him.  
  
"Any more questions?" Optimus asked  
  
Inferno looked down at his reflection in the energon. After a while he lept to his feet and raced across the clearing. Megatron opened fire. Inferno lept, dove for his gun, and rolled out of the blast's way. It missed him by a nano-klick, crashing through the forest and leaving a trail of burned wood in its wake. Inferno rolled up behind Scorpinok, changed his gun from fire to lazer, and fired on Megatron.  
  
"MAXIMALS!" Optimus shouted to Tigatron and Cheetor "On my mark, open fire on Megatron. NOW!"  
  
The four Maximals stood and opened fire. The air was filled with the sound of lazer fire and the crackling of energy as the Valley absorbed each blast.  
  
"Well, I can say this," Tarantulus said, changing into his beast mode and heading back to the Darkside "for every ounce of stupidity these Transformers have...they have a keload of bravery."  
  
Megatron laughed as the lazers bounced off him, unaware that the energy was being absorbed by the energon around him.  
  
Unaware of the thinning waterfall.  
  
Rattrap's charge clip started to die and Rattrap could tell that Dinobot was getting tired. They hadn't scratched Megatron and the crystals were no where near surging. It was the stupid waterfall!!! If only there was a way to stop the water from neutralizing the Gemini Flux, from absording the extra energy.  
  
Megatron smiled and bearly opend his Rex Cannon. He fired and the blast flittered out through the teeth, fanning out towards each group. The Maximals and Predicons dropped behind their protection, their guns drained of energy.  
  
"Nice try, Rattrap," Optimus' voice came over his com-link "but it would appear that trick doesn't work twice."  
  
"No good trick eva does." Rattrap sighed  
  
"Pathetic fools!" Megatron hissed "Did you really think you could defeat a god?"  
  
"You are not a god." a deep voice said  
  
Megatron whirled around, eyes blazing.  
  
Optimus recognized the voice and stood, eyes wide with shock... and joy.  
  
Silverback came out of the forest, eyes narrowed and mouth set in a bitter frown.  
  
"WHAT!" Megatron roared  
  
"You are not a god." Silverback said again "You are a mortal who wishes he were a god. But take it from one who deals with gods; it is not their power or their ability to control existence that makes them gods, nor it is their knowledge or their control over life and death. What makes a god is the one thing you will never have. Compassion."  
  
The others got to their feet and watched as the ancient Keeper confronted the insane Predicon.  
  
"SILENCE!" Megatron roared. He aimed his Rex Cannon at Silverback and fired. The ancient Keeper lept out of the beam's path and charged Megatron, slamming his shoulder into Megatron's stomach. Megatron stumbled back, shocked.  
  
"Remove the power crystals from your weapon and leave this place, or I will be force to destroy you." Silverback ordered  
  
"Don't be absurd!" Megatron snorted "That was a lucky shot!"  
  
"My dear boy, luck has nothing to do with this. Only skill."  
  
Megatron lounged, swinging his Rex Cannon at Silverback. Silverback grabbed Megatron by the wrist with both hands and raised himself up onto Megatron's arm. He then slammed both his feet together, with Megatron's head in the center. Megatron reared back as Silverback rolled off Megatron's arm.  
  
"Impressive," Inferno said "for a primitive."  
  
Megatron growled, frustrated and amazed. Silverback took a few steps back and snorted. Megatron roared as he transformed into his beast mode and charged Silverback. Silverback raced between Megatron's legs as the monstrous tyrannosaurus chopped down on him. Megatron whirled, knocking Silverback to one side with his tail. Silverback rolled a few kicks, shock off the sting and got back to his feet.  
  
Megatron took a deep breath and roared, a wall of fire raced out of his mouth. Silverback lept aside as the fire blasted the mountain behind him. The Energon Mountain shock and pieces tumbled towards the lake below.  
  
"I think now would be a good time to retreat." Scorpinok whispered to Terrorsaur.  
  
"Lead on, MacDuff." Terrorsaur whispered back  
  
The two slowly backed away from Rhinox, motioning for the other Predicons to follow them. Dinobot raised his head and watched out of the corner of his eye as Waspinator, Inferno and Black Arachnia crept after Terrorsaur and Scorpinok.  
  
Dinobot stepped on Rattrap's foot.  
  
"HEY!" Rattrap slugged Dinobot in the shoulder "Whazat~!" He caught sight of Waspinator creeping away "Where da slag you goin'?"  
  
The Maximals turned just in time to see the Preds disappear into the forest.  
  
"He who fights and runs away!" Terrorsaur laughed "So long, Allies!"  
  
"Until next time, Kitty-Cat!" Black Arachnia blew a kiss towards Cheetor  
  
Cheetor growled and lounged, but Optimus held him back, saying "Forget them, we've got to save Silverback!"  
  
"Who?" Cheetor asked  
  
Megatron charged Silverback, ramming his head into the old gorilla like a bulldozer. He kept charging until he slammed into the Energon Mountain, with Silverback wedge between his head and the crystals. Silverback howled as Megatron took a step back then rammed into him once more.  
  
Megatron took another step back and charged. Silverback balled his hands together and swung, knocking Megatron aside. Megatron stumbled to the ground, enraged! He transformed into his robot mode and aimed....but Silverback was gone.  
  
"What?" Megatron gasped  
  
"I despise this!" Dinobot hissed  
  
"Wha?" Rattrap asked "Sittin' a round out?"  
  
"Relax, Dinobot, until we know how to deal with Megatron~" Rhinox started  
  
"We're going to let a primitive deal with him for US!" Dinobot demanded. Rhinox frowned. He didn't like the idea anymore than the others did, but what else could they do?  
  
"You got a better idea?" Rhinox asked  
  
Dinobot pulled out his sword and growled "What energy lacks, the blade has in abundances!"  
  
"Only one problem wid dat idea." Rattrap said, slugging his fist in Dinobot's wounded side. The Pred grabbed his side and sank to his knees as Rattrap said "I've made my point."  
  
Megatron approached the spot where Silverback had been cautiously. All that he saw was the cracked impression Silverback's body had made in the mountain. Megatron narrowed his eyes and turned towards the forest. Suddenly, Silverback lept out from behind the thinning waterfall and landed on Megatron's back.  
  
Megatron roared and tried to grabbed Silverback with his Rex Cannon. Silverback grabbed the gapping jaws of the cannon and tried to forced them shut, clinging to Megatron's neck with his feet.  
  
"Get off of me, you ape!" Megatron snarled, swinging his Tail Vise at him. Silverback dodged the tail and snarled back.  
  
Megatron started to charge the crystals in his cannon.  
  
Optimus could feel his temper rage.  
  
Silverback swallowed hard as the Rex Cannon filled with blood red light. He looked around frantically for a solution. He saw the waterfall. Silverback lept off Megatron's back, grabbing his wrist as he did. Megatron's arm tilted back under Silverback's weight, the cannon aiming towards the waterfall. Megatron fired.  
  
The blast slammed into the top of the water fall, shattering the mouth into giant pieces of charged energon which tumbled towards the valley below. Silverback let go of Megatron's wrist and rolled away from the enraged Predicon as the crystals rained down on them. Silverback looked up at the falling crystals and covered his head.  
  
Megatron turned towards the falls, knocking away the falling crystals with his tail. The last of the shards landed in the lake with a thunderous splash, that sent a glowing wave rushing over Megatron. He turned away, shielding his face with his Rex Cannon, then turned his eyes towards the falls.  
  
The waterfall was blocked.  
  
"Oh boy." Rattrap gulped "Dat can't be good."  
  
Megatron narrowed his eyes, his anger and the crystals' power raced through him and clouded his thoughts. All he knew was that he had to kill all that stood between him and domination. He turned towards Silverback and aimed his Rex Cannon. It charged.  
  
A roar of rockets sent Megatron flying. He crashed to the ground and his blast raced off into the forest. Megatron growled as he turned to see Optimus land a few klicks in front of him.  
  
The two leaders glared at each other for a moment before Megatron lounged, swinging his Rex Cannon at Optimus. Optimus lept back then activated his Prime Jets and rammed his shoulders into Megatron's chest. Megatron was sent flying. He crashed, shattering the crystal ground beneath him.  
  
The sun cast its rays of light down on the valley. The lake slowly began to drain and the river began to shrink. Tiny waves of energy rippled through some of the smaller crystals.  
  
Cheetor swallowed hard "Uh, guys, we've got a problem brewing."  
  
Megatron lept to his feet, dropped his tail, and charged Optimus, who hovered over the shimmering ground with clenched fists. Megatron swung his newly freed fist at Optimus. Optimus dodged the swing and spun around, kicking Megatron in the face. He then slammed his fists into Megatron's face. Megatron stumbled back, trying to put some distance between himself and Optimus. Optimus moved back for charging room, then rocked towards Megatron with a mighty roar.  
  
The bigger energon crystals started to spark. The mountain began to shimmer with energy as the pulsating hum of charged energon began to echo through the valley. Great waves of energy rushed through ground, sending great arms of energy racing towards the Maximals. Rhinox lept away from his boulder as one of these arms crashed into it, shattering it into a thousand charged fragments.  
  
"We've got to get out of here." Air Razor said, changing into her beast mode  
  
The other Maximals followed suit. Though they won't be safe from the explosion, at least their circuits wouldn't get fried by the energon shock wave.  
  
"Optimus!" Cheetor shouted "We've gotta bail!"  
  
Optimus swung at Megatron as hard as he could, but the super charged Pred managed to dodge it. Optimus turned and swung again, Megatron grabbed him by the wrist and held him. Optimus swung his other arm, Megatron caught it in the mouth of his Rex Cannon and chopped its teeth down on Optimus' arm. Optimus howled!  
  
"Optimus!" Cheetor hollered  
  
The energy crackled off the energon as the last of the lake water disappeared down the river. The smaller crystals started to pop, shattering into tiny fragments and sending waves of energy rushing through the valley and surrounding forest. The humming was getting louder.  
  
"Looks like your trick worked after all." Tigatron said to Rattrap, dodging an arm of energy  
  
"Yeah, lucky me. Okay, time ta blow dis joint 'fore it blows its top!" Rattrap shouted "Everybody outta here!"  
  
"What about Optimus?" Cheetor demanded  
  
Rhinox knocked Cheetor towards the woods with his horn and said "He knows what he's doing, let's move!"  
  
Optimus tried to pulled his arm free from Megatron's Rex Cannon, the teeth grinding deep into his arm. The energon around them cracked and sparked. Arms of energy surrounded them. Their frames started to pick up the charge.  
  
"Warning." the two central computers said "Approaching critical energy exposure level. Stasis lock will commence in 2.3 cycles."  
  
"More than enough time," Megatron growled "to deal with you, Primal."  
  
Optimus bared his teeth and slammed his leg into Megatron's wounded side. Megatron's hand released Optimus' wrist as he went to grab his side. Optimus slugged Megatron in the jaw, then swung again, but Megatron grabbed his arm.  
  
"Face it, Primal!" Megatron growled "You're finished!"  
  
Two energy beams crashed into each other behind Megatron.  
  
"Says you." Optimus hissed  
  
"That's right," Megatron smirked, crunching his Rex Cannon down harder on Optimus' arm "says me."  
  
Megatron started to charge the two crystals in his cannon and glared into Optimus' eyes. Optimus glared back. Blood red light stared to stream out between the Rex teeth, getting brighter and brighter as the energon cracked all around them.  
  
A sly smile crossed Optimus face as the light from the Rex cannon reached its brightest. Optimus activated his wrist gun on his trapped hand and fired. The blast hit the crystals and they exploded, sending the two leaders flying in opposite directions.  
  
Optimus crashed into the energon mountain, leaving an imprint of his frame behind as he collapsed to the ground. Megatron, his Rex Cannon cracked and charred, crashed to the ground and rolled into an energon boulder. Their frames crackled with energy as the two tried to get to their feet.  
  
Optimus got to his knees and looked at his damaged hand. Fixable if he could get back to Axalon...but he was too drained to move. Waves of energy rushed over his frame. This was his end. A heroic and lonely end. He sat back and waited....  
  
A quiet moan caused him to turn towards a pile of crystals.  
  
"Silverback." Optimus gasped  
  
The old gorilla was half-buried beneath the charging crystals. Optimus stumbled over to the crystals and began to dig Silverback out of his glowing grave.  
  
Megatron managed to get on one knee before noticing his damaged cannon. Part of the lower jaw was missing, wires and circuitry exposed to the growing energy, and the rest was cracked and charred beyond recognition. There was no way he could change into beast mode.  
  
"Curse you, Primal." Megatron growled, stumbling to his feet "I'll get even with you.....yes." Megatron raced towards the forest, grabbing his tail as he ran, and disappeared.  
  
The valley was glowing like a 800 watt florescent bulb. Energy lept from ground into the sky, where beams collided, sending out intense shockwaves of heat and electricity.  
  
Optimus grabbed Silverback by the arm and pulled him out of the rubble. Draping the unconscious gorilla on his shoulder, Optimus activated his Prime Jets and took off. He rose as high above the valley as he could, then turned and started towards Crystal Cave.  
  
The valley sparked.  
  
The ground shuck.  
  
The energon cracked.  
  
The mountain crumbled.  
  
The sky was filled with the sound of raw energy.  
  
The Maximals raced as fast as they could through the forest, trying to get as far from the valley as they could.  
  
Scorpinok lead the Predicons, now all in beast mode, towards the Energon River and back towards the Darkside.  
  
The valley suddenly fell silent.  
  
It was the silence that caught Silverback's attention. The faithful Keeper forced his eyes open and weakly turned his head towards the valley.  
  
The glow faded.  
  
Optimus flew as fast as he could.  
  
'Please,' Silverback prayed 'I know they are not one of us, not an original part of Your master plan....but I beg You, if You can hear me, if You have not forsaken us, Atronai, to protect them. Protect them all. PLEASE!'  
  
The valley remained silent. Strangely silent.  
  
Then it exploded.  
  
A giant wave of energy billowed out in all directions, a thunderous sonic boom preceded it.  
  
The wave festered in the valley for a moment, gathering up power and perhaps some courage, before it burst out of the valley and into world that surrounded it.  
  
It knocked down everything in its path and slammed head long into the Maximals, sending them flying.  
  
It rushed towards the meadow and careened into the fleeing Predicons.  
  
Megatron had little time to react before the wave sent its double surge through his frame and knocked him back into the collapsing forest.  
  
Optimus turned his head back towards the explosion and caught a glimpse of the charging energy.  
  
"Prime Jets!" he shouted "Maximum~"  
  
The sonic boom slammed into Optimus' back, sending him forward faster than his jets ever could. Optimus held on to Silverback as he was sent head over heels through the sky. The wave pulled back, giving Optimus time to figure out where the ground was, before it rammed into them once again, knocking both ape and Transformers from the sky. Optimus and Silverback tumbled towards the forest as the energy wave rushed over them.  
  
The wave charged on. It raced over the land with the force of an atomic blast. But as it ran it lost its power. By the time it reached the edges of the continent on which the Maximals and Predicons had crashed, it was nothing more than a whisper in the wind.  
  
But the land of its origins suffered. 


	14. Chapter 14: Reflections in the Aftermat...

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, portions of the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
Beast Wars: Basic Program  
Chapter 14; Reflections in the Aftermath  
  
Rhinox groaned, sore from tusk to tail. Was he still functioning? Rhinox opened his eyes to find he was surrounded by a bright, white light. Was this the Matrix?  
  
The light lasted only a moment before it vanished. The real world returned revealing the altered jungle and the evening sky.  
  
Rhinox stood up slowly, small tree branches and leaves tumbling off his back, and looked around. A lot of the trees in the jungle had been knocked down, but many of the older one, the ones with deep roots, still stood. With many of the trees down the forest floor was flooded with the last rays of afternoon light. The horizon was just begin to redden as the sun set. A huge mass of black thunderclouds rolled slowly off the horizon towards the valley.  
  
Rhinox sighed and shock his head, trying to get his ears to stop ringing, when he noticed something beneath a pile of trees. A white tail with black strips.  
  
"Tigatron." Rhinox managed  
  
He rammed his horn beneath the trees and tried to lift them. The trees were criss-crossed on top of one another, locking them together. They were almost impossible to move and the blast had taken a lot out of Rhinox.  
  
But he wasn't about to give up. Rhinox snorted and anchored his feet in the ground. He closed his eyes and concentrated, then tossed his head back with a roar. The trees went flying to reveal a mass of white light.  
  
"What the~?" Rhinox took a few steps back  
  
The light shivered and raced up towards the sky to reveal Cheetor, Tigatron and Air Razor, all fully functional and feeling as sore as Rhinox.  
  
"Hey," Rhinox said "you all right?"  
  
"Oh, yes." Tigatron sighed as he forced himself to his feet "I feel prime."  
  
Rhinox smiled and nodded.  
  
A very enraged, very loud roar caused the group to turn. A white mass of light rushed out from under a pile of trees and leaves as Dinobot burst out from beneath his wooden tomb. The Pred took a few deep, frustrated breathes before shaking his head free of the vines that crowned it.  
  
The final mass of light raced right passed Dinobot's snout. The lizard snorted and turned to find Rattrap not a few klicks from him. Eyes closed, paws over his eyes and tail between his legs, Rattrap had been saved from being crushed by a giant hardwood by the only thing the wave wasn't able to move. A rock as big Bumblebee.  
  
"Rattrap, you are one lucky bot." Cheetor sighed as Rattrap slowly opened his eyes.  
  
"I think we can all say that." Air Razor said  
  
"Luck didn't have anything to do with this." Rhinox said, watching the last orb of light disappear "We had help."  
  
*****  
  
The Predicons watched as the last of the white orbs that had saved their lives disappeared into the sky before they stumbled to their feet and looked around. The meadow was pretty much unaltered, but the river had been filled in. It was nothing more than a strip of white sand cutting through the landscape.  
  
"Wow." Terrorsaur sighed "Some one must like us."  
  
"Do you think Megatron survived?" Scorpinok asked, turning back towards the forest  
  
"If you want to go back and pick up the pieces of our broken leader," Black Arachnia hissed "then you'll have to go alone. I'm going home!"  
  
Black Arachnia started off towards the Darkside, followed by Waspinator and Terrorsaur. Inferno and Scorpinok look at each other, then looked at the broken forest. A tree at the edge of the forest tumbled over with a crash.  
  
"Why'd you help the Maximals?" Scorpinok asked "Why'd you attack Megatron?"  
  
"I serve the Royalty and the colony...but when one endangers the other I must prioritize." Inferno explained matter-of-factly  
  
"Prioritize? But, I thought you were solely loyal to Megatron, our leader. So, what ever he does, I thought you'd back~"  
  
"What good is a leader who would destroy his own without reason or cause? I know the real Royalty, and that was not our Queen. I fought to free the Royalty from those crystals' power. I fought to save him. Now the question is this; why did you aid the Maximals? Why did you fight the Royalty?"  
  
Inferno started after Black Arachnia. Scorpinok turned back towards the forest for a brief moment, then followed the others.  
  
*****  
  
The light left Megatron to his battle wounds and frustrations. He forced himself to his feet and looked around at the damage. The trees with deep roots had survived the blast, but everything else had collapsed. Fallen to the earth just like Megatron's dream of domination. He growled and slammed his broken Rex Cannon into the nearest standing tree.  
  
"Curse....you......Primal!" he growled through gritted teeth. He leaned his head against the tree as he saw all his plans for the future crumble "Curse you."  
  
*****  
  
Optimus opened his eyes slowly. Above him he could see the waving leaves of the trees that had survived the blast. They were the trees that bore the hard fruit, the ones with the giant leaves. The wind shock a hard fruit from the branches of one tree and Optimus watched as it landed on the ground....next to Silverback.  
  
Optimus forced himself to his hands and knees and managed to crawl over to Silverback's still body.  
  
"Silverback." Optimus groaned "Can you hear me?"  
  
Silverback didn't move. Optimus sat back on his legs and lifted Silverback's head with his hands. He shock the Old Keeper gently.  
  
"Silverback."  
  
Silverback slowly opened his eyes and looked at Optimus. His vision was blurred and he was beginning to see double, but he recognized the voice that called his name.  
  
"Silverback?" Optimus asked "Are you all right?"  
  
"I....have done....all that I could...." Silverback said quietly "for my kind. I....have lead them.....and I....have taught them.....all I know. I pray....that....they survived."  
  
"Just relax." Optimus said, getting to his feet and changing into his beast mode "We'll find them. Just give me a cycle and we'll start~"  
  
Silverback shock his head weakly. "No. Leave me here."  
  
"But~"  
  
"Optimus," Silverback interrupted "there are some things in this existence that just have to be, things that we can not change and things that should not be questioned."  
  
"Speaking of questions, why did help us? Why did you fight Megatron?"  
  
Silverback sighed and looked up at the sky "It has never ceased to amaze me, how even after the worst storm there are still trees standing in this forest. No matter what the disaster, no matter what the plague....there are still some standing."  
  
"Silverback, why~"  
  
"It is there deep roots that keep them standing, that make them strong. Deep roots, Optimus, very deep roots."  
  
Optimus nodded.  
  
"My roots are in this planet, it its secrets and hopeful future. I could not let that monster destroy that or use the power he found here to destroy others." Silverback smiled weakly and said "It would appear the Project has not failed, if a 'primitive' can sacrifice everything for a greater good."  
  
Optimus looked around at the trees that still stood, wondering if his Maximals had made it. Wondering if Megatron and the Predicons had survived. How deep were their roots? How determined were they to conquer the universe, to follow in their ancestors' footsteps? How determined was Optimus to stop them? And just how far would his team follow him to accomplish that goal?  
  
Silverback winced, grabbing Optimus' hand hard. Optimus turned back towards Silverback, eyes filled with questions.  
  
"Listen to me," Silverback said "listen to me and do as I say. First, promise me that you will not tell your Maximals about what you saw in the cave, about the VOK...about me."  
  
"What?" Optimus asked  
  
"Promise!" Silverback looking into Optimus' eyes pleadingly  
  
Optimus thought for a moment, then nodded his head. He would keep silent.  
  
"Thank you. Secondly, and this is the most important, make sure the valley was completely destroyed, that not a single crystal remains."  
  
"That I can do." Optimus said "And if there are crystals?"  
  
"Destroy them."  
  
Optimus took a deep breath and held it. Pure energon, one crystals would be enough to keep Axalon running for a long time, and Silverback wanted him to destroy any crystal he found.  
  
"Okay," Optimus said "but I'm going to be chewed up and spit back out by my crew if they ever find out."  
  
"They will understand. If they saw any of the events today, they will understand. There are some crystals that no one was ment to control." Silverback took a deep breath as a wave of pain rushed up his spine.  
  
"Finally," he said "one last request."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Stay here with me." Silverback said, a tiny drop of fear showing in his wise, old eyes "Stay here until~"  
  
"Sure." Optimus said "I'll stay. I don't have an appointment to keep."  
  
"Thank you....Friend."  
  
Optimus remained with Silverback, holding the Ancient Keeper's hand, until it started to feel cold and lifeless. By that time the sun had disappeared over the horizon and the sky was beginning to dawn its starry robe.  
  
Optimus let Silverback's hand go, heaved himself to his own four feet and slowly made his way towards what was left of the valley....tears rolling down his face.  
  
*****  
  
The sun was setting over the volcanic wasteland, covering everything with a blood red haze. The Darkside was the only object that remained black. The world was beginning to settle in for the night. The silence of the evening...was shattered by Megatron's booming voice!  
  
"Of all the incompetent, hopelessly useless Predicons on Cybertron," Megatron thundered as he paced in front of his troops "I have the misfortune of commanding ALL OF THEM!"  
  
Night had already fallen inside the Darkside. The Predicons stood side by side, tallest to shortest from left to right, as Megatron vented his frustrations out on them.  
  
"You had lost it, Megatron!" Black Arachnia growled "We had no choice but to side with the Maximals!"  
  
"SILENCE!" Megatron thundered "I don't care why you sided with them, no. What I do care about is the fact that you allowed them to destroy THE BIGGEST ENERGON RESERVE ON THE PLANET!!!"  
  
"We still have the energon Waspinator and me collected!" Scorpinok said  
  
"Waspinator and I." Tarantulus corrected "And what good is this energon if we don't know anything about it....other than not to hook it up to our weapons."  
  
"Energon is energon," Terrorsaur said "and we've got enough in stock to defeat the Maximals once and for all!"  
  
  
The storage room was huge and packed to the corners with the sparkling treasures Waspinator and Scorpinok had removed from the glowing waters. All that remained of the Energon Valley.  
  
The pile of crystals sparkled as the light from the setting sun crept through the storage room's tiny windows. It fell gently on the pile...which began to glow and spark as each crystal was charged.  
  
  
"No thanks to you, you careless drone!" Megatron thundered, looming over Terrorsaur  
  
"Me? What did I do?"  
  
"You lead the Maximals right to us, thus allowing them to destroy the valley and all the energon in that entire area!"  
  
"My memory files were fragmented!" Terrorsaur retaliated "You can't hold that against me!"  
  
"Want a bet?" Black Arachnia demanded  
  
  
Waves of energy shock the storage room door. Ripples of energy raced from crystal to crystal as the glow doubled in intensity.  
  
  
The sound of crystal chimes caught Waspinator's audio sensors. He raised his head and turned towards the sound.  
  
"Look, Lady!" Terrorsaur snapped "I've had just enough from you!"  
  
"Ooh, I'm so scared!" Black Arachnia taunted  
  
A stream of light radiated into the Main Chamber from Eastern Corridor.  
  
Waspinator started to tap Scorpinok on the shoulder.  
  
"SILENCE!" Megatron boomed "We have more important things to be concerned with than your petty bickering!"  
  
"What?" Scorpinok demanded, turning towards Waspinator  
  
Waspinator pointed towards the creeping stream of light. Scorpinok turned, as did Inferno. The three watched in silence as the light grew brighter and more intense.  
  
Waspinator sighed and covered his eyes. If he didn't see it, it won't happen.  
  
*****  
  
The Maximals painfully picked their way back to Axalon.  
  
"My bed is lookin' so good right now." Rattrap moaned  
  
"I call dibes on the RC Chamber." Cheetor said  
  
Dinobot tilted his head and cracked his neck to release the mounting pressure.  
  
"Must you?" Tigatron cringed and shivered. Dinobot snorted an appology and shock his head to stay awake.  
  
"You know what would make this the perfect ending to a not-so-perfect day?" Air Razor asked  
  
"No. What?" Rhinox asked  
  
The sound of an explosion rippled through the evening air, shortly followed by a ribbon of energy. The Maximals dove to the ground as the wave raced over them. The explosion died, the energy faded and the Maximals got to their feet.  
  
"Now what happened?" Rattrap groaned  
  
"By the Pit!" Dinobot gasped, turning towards the direction of the explosion. As his eyes scanned the horizon, the warrior's tired face faded into an satisfied grin.  
  
The Maximals followed his gaze and saw a black plum of smoke rising up from the earth...where the Darkside was situated.  
  
"I was going to say an oil bath," Air Razor said "but that works."  
  
*****  
  
Night had fallen over the landscape. A gentle breeze washed away the heat from the day and carried with it the quiet chirp of crickets. The quarter moon was rising over the mountain behind Axalon. Black thunderclouds filled the southern half of the sky, rolling mournfully towards the jungle.  
  
Optimus lumbered towards Axalon, heart-broken and lost. In a very short time, Optimus had found a mentor, made a good friend, and met a true hero.  
  
Silverback had made the ultimate sacrifice for his planet, for his people...and demanded that Optimus never tell a spark. A dying wish. You NEVER disobeyed a dying wish! Still, the others had a right to know. They had to know about the VOK, about their powers, about the planet. But Silverback made Optimus promise that he would never tell anyone about the visions he saw or about the things he was told.  
  
Optimus would keep his promise....even if it killed him.  
  
At least there was nothing left of the Energon Valley. Optimus could now face his crew and tell them, truthfully, that the only thing he had found was the charred remains of Tarantulus' equipment.  
  
One thing still haunted Optimus: Silverback's Clan. He couldn't find them anywhere. He knew they were safe, he felt it in his Spark, but he didn't know where they could be. It was too late to start looking for them, he would just have to wait until he got his strenght back.  
  
As the lift took Optimus from outside to the interior of Axalon he transformed into his robot mode. Though he now had a stronger pride in his beast mode, it was time for him to remember his transformer half. He flexed his injured hand gently. Luckily it wasn't his dominate hand.  
  
"Optimus!" Cheetor hollered as the lift came to a stop  
  
Optimus stepped off the lift and looked up just in time to see the young transformer leap and trap him in a bear-hug. Rhinox and Rattrap looked up from the main controls and came over to Optimus. Air Razor and Tigatron were seated at the table in the center off the room, but they got up and raced to greet their leader. Dinobot stood in the shadows, arms crossed over his chest and eyes shut, near the passage way that lead to the quarters.  
  
"You're back!" Cheetor said, letting Optimus go "We were getting worried when you weren't behind us."  
  
"But we knew you had survived!" Tigatron said  
  
"It's great to have you back, Optimus." Air Razor said, giving him a quick hug  
  
"It's nice to be back." Optimus said  
  
"Only nice?" Rhinox asked  
  
"I haven't been gone that long."  
  
"Ya been gone long enough fa me ta appreciate ya all da more." Rattrap said, crossing his arms over his chest  
  
"I should leave you in charge more often." Optimus laughed "Maybe, then, you won't give so much trouble."  
  
"Leave him in command too often," Dinobot snarled "and he won't be around much longer."  
  
Rattrap whirled on the Pred, ready to retaliate with a list of insults he'd been saving for just this moment, but Dinobot was gone.  
  
"Nah where da~" Rattrap started  
  
"Optimus," Air Razor said, gently taking Optimus' wounded hand in hers "your hand! Is it badly damaged?"  
  
"I'll be fine, Air Razor, just need a few cycles in the RC Chamber." Optimus said  
  
"Up and running all ready." Rhinox said  
  
"I'll get to it later, right now I have something more important to deal with. Rattrap."  
  
"Wha?" Rattrap asked  
  
"Come with me for a moment."  
  
"Wha' for?"  
  
"We need to talk." Optimus started towards his quarters  
  
"Hey, if dis is about my shootin' ya wid da tranqualizer~" Rattrap started as he followed Optimus  
  
"Under the circumstances I think I can forgive you for that." Optimus turned quickly and pointed his finger in Rattrap's face "Just don't do it again."  
  
Rattrap raised his hands and took a step back, a sly smirk crossing his face.  
  
"I mean it." Optimus said  
  
"As long as ya don' go ape on us again, my targets will only be da Preds. So, what's da deal?"  
  
"Well, normally when the Commander returns from a long absence the Second in Command brings him up-to-date on everything that has transpired in his absences."  
  
"Slag, nuthin' dat interestin' happened. Naht 'ere, anyway."  
  
Optimus opened the door to his quarters and turned on the lights as he and Rattrap entered.  
  
"Take a seat." Optimus said as he started towards his desk  
  
Rattrap waved the invitation off and said "Nah, I'll stand."  
  
Optimus nodded and sat down at his desk, turning his chair so he faced Rattrap.  
  
Rattrap crossed his arms over his chest and said "So, how wuz it?"  
  
"How was what?"  
  
"Ya know, bein' a primitive en all?"  
  
"It was...peaceful."  
  
"Den why da slag ya come back?"  
  
Optimus smiled sadly "Because that plot of land wasn't where my roots belonged."  
  
Rattrap narrowed his eyes and frowned.  
  
"It was too good to be true."  
  
"Figyas dat's whad bring ya back. Ya always been da kinda bot dat can't stand takin' de easy way out. Ya gotta be challenged."  
  
"You're being a part of this crew is prove of that fact."  
  
"HEY!"  
  
"I'm joking, Rattrap! I'm joking!"  
  
"Yeah...well...I'll fagivya dis time."  
  
"Thank you, Rattrap. Now, down to business: What I miss?"  
  
"Eh, nuhtin much. Rhinox got a memory glitch, Terrorsaur defected, Choppa-Face found da Riva Lethe, both sides managed ta destroy da largest energon source on da planet, Megatron's ship blew up, en I still kin't git Choppa-Face ta 'splain why 'e fough' Megatron, buh odda dan dat~"  
  
"You can't what?"  
  
"Choppa-Face gave me da run around as ta why 'e fought Megabutt day b'fore. So, whiles we waitin' fa ya I tried ta get 'im ta elaborate. Ya know, gittin' dat Pred ta talk iz like stripping gears off a rusted space fighta?"  
  
"Why do you want to know that?"  
  
"Well, don' you?"  
  
"I all ready know."  
  
Rattrap cocked his head to one side and narrowed his eyes at Optimus. After a moment or two of silence, Rattrap straightened, slammed his hands on his hips and snapped "Well, would ya mind fillin' me in, huh!"  
  
Optimus laughed and said "You mean to tell me the Great Rattrap, the Spy of Spies, can't solve this mystery?"  
  
"No! En it's fryin' my logic circuits! Come on, Fearless Leada, what gives?"  
  
  
The halls of the Axalon were quiet and the lights were dim. Rhinox started down the corridor to his quarters, a data track in his hand. He typed in all the things they had discovered about the pure energon crystals, re-read Tigatron's theory on the colored energon and...  
  
Rhinox stopped and looked the data track over. Dinobot hadn't turned in his report.  
  
That was strange.  
  
"Well, since you asked nicely."  
  
Rhinox turned. He had stopped right next to Dinobot's door. Rhinox went to knock, to ask Dinobot for his findings on what they were now calling the River Lethe, but he stopped himself. Rhinox stepped away from the door and started back on his way to his own room.  
  
He'd ask tomorrow.  
  
"Dinobot doesn't really care about what happens to him in the end. As long as he follows his code of honor he knows he'll earn a Warrior's Recycling and perish in battle, which is pretty much all he's aiming for."  
  
Dinobot sat beneath his window, trying to meditate. His room was dark and cold. As the moon rose and the sun set, Dinobot drifted from the chaos of reality to the harmony of the warrior's realm.  
  
It was no use. He couldn't settle his spark. Too many images were loose in his mainframe, too many memories demanded to be played out. Dinobot took a few deep breathes before he slowly opened his eyes and gazed out of the window towards the horizon.  
  
"But even the greatest of warriors have weaknesses. I believe Megatron took advantage of Dinobot's only weakness once, which is what originally started this hatred they have for each other. They managed to keep a cap on it until they came here and then....well, what ever happened, Dinobot's one of us thanks to it."  
  
Dinobot tore his eyes away from the horizon and turned towards his bed. One of his data tracks hummed, the screen emitted a pale green beam of little into the darkness. A ray of hope?  
  
Rattrap snorted "Look, Fearless Leada, I've been harassin' da lubricant oudda Choppa-Face since he joined en da only weakness dat Bolt-Head has iz 'iz tempa."  
  
Dinobot forced himself to his feet, feeling his age echo in every joint for the first time in his life, and went to his bed. He picked up the glowing track as he sat down and looked the image over with narrowed eyes and a stern face.  
  
Optimus chuckled "That's not a weakness, that's one of his strengths. Dinobot is a berserker, his temper is the only thing that DOESN'T get him in trouble."  
  
Slowly, against his will, his features softened and the sadness that he had locked away for so long came rushing back. It flooded his processor and left a cold, empty feeling in his spark chamber.  
  
"So, if it ain't 'iz tempa, what's Maximus' weakness?"  
  
Dinobot hated this feeling!  
  
Nothing could be done about the past, nothing could be done to right the wrongs or repair the damages. Still, Dinobot wished he hadn't left so quickly, hadn't been the first at the Archives. After all, the entire plan was based on him and Tarantulus. Megatron could have waited, he should have waited after everything he had done, but Dinobot couldn't stand the thought of not being there first.  
  
But now he wished he had waited, just a few more cycles for his greatest pupil, his reason for existing, the only bot that stood a chance against him in battle....  
  
"The one thing a true Predicon warrior is not supposed to have; someone awaiting his return, someone Dinobot cares about very deeply, deeper than he wants to admit. Someone.....he never got a chance to say good-bye to."  
  
....his daughter, Valnatron, to come home. At least he wouldn't be losing sleep night after night wondering if she was safe, if she was keeping one step ahead of the Maximal Guard....if she was still functioning.  
  
But it was too late now. He was forced to live with his questions, with his uncertainties and his fears. And all were double edged. Dinobot feared for Valnatron and wished to return to Cybertron...but he couldn't face her. Not because he had "betraied" the Predicons and joined the Maximals, not because he had sided with the bot that almost killed her, but because he had failed her.  
  
Becasue he left her behind.  
  
The image on the screen was all Dinobot had to remind him of her. She was standing in front of the Galvatron Stadium, legs shoulder width appear and hands resting on the hilt of her rotary sword, head slightly bowed and eyes narrowed. She wasn't as beautiful as some of the Maximal fembots Cheetor had posters of in his quarters, but she could hold her own against Black Arachnia....and she looked just as deadly as he father.  
  
Dinobot looked the track over with sad eyes before throwing it to the floor. The track clattered to the floor and slipped under his chair. Dinobot sighed and buried his face in his hands. He remained that way all night, not exactly sleeping but not fully awake. The data track beneath his chair shut itself off after awhile, but the picture never left Dinobot's mind....and it never would. 


	15. PREVIEW Beast Wars: Remembrances

Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.  
  
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, portions of the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.  
  
PREVIEW  
Beast Wars: Rememberances  
Chapter One; Awake to Fear  
  
  
"Rattrap." a deep voice rumbled through what had been blissful darkness.  
  
Rattrap rolled away from the voice and covered his head with his pillow.  
  
"Rattrap." the voice persisted.  
  
Rattrap pulled his blanket over his head and muttered "Slag off."  
  
A cold rush of air hit Rattrap's back like a ton of steel beams as his blanket was yanked away. His pillow followed. Rattrap rolled over and opened one optical sensor just in time to see his pillow kamikaze into his face with a loud THUMP!  
  
Rhinox brought the pillow down as hard as he could on Rattrap's head. Rattrap quickly wrapped his arms around the pillow and for a few clicks the two played tug-of-war. When it became obveious that Rattrap wasn't about to let go, Rhinox sighed and lifted both the pillow and Rattrap off of the bed.  
  
"Let go," Rhinox snorted "and get up."  
  
"Why?" Rattrap growled through the pillow  
  
"You just gonna sleep all day?"  
  
"Dat wuz mah plan."  
  
Rhinox sighed and released the pillow. Rattrap slammed onto his bed, his arms still wrapped around his pillow.  
  
"You're impossible." Rhinox said  
  
"Thank you." Rattrap muttered  
  
Rhinox sighed and shock his head "We finally get one day to ourselves, one day out of this entire war that we are POSITIVE the Predicons won't try anything and you chose that day to take a nap."  
  
Rattrap didn't answer. He had fallen back to sleep, arms still wrapped around his pillow. Who could have blamed him? The rain gently tapping the hull of Axalon laid down a melody so peaceful it would have put anyone to sleep.  
  
Rhinox shock his head and started out of Rattrap's room, but just as Rhinox opened the door Cheetor, in beast mode, charged in. He pushed passed the giant Maximal and lept into the air, landing on Rattrap's bed with a THUD. The jult jerked Rattrap awake.  
  
"Come on!" Cheetor urged, grabbing Rattrap's pillow in his teeth and tousing it to Rhinox "Get up all ready, Rattrap!!! We've got the whole day to do what ever we want! Hey, wanna play a Vid-game? I finally found my copy of 'Dawn of the Dark Age'. Heh, would you believe it was under my bed the whole time! Right there, in my Odds-en-Ends Box with my~"  
  
"Kid," Rattrap hissed "I'm givin' ya ta da count a t'ree....den I'm slaggin' ya!"  
  
"Rattrap, get up." Rhinox insisted "No sense in wasting a day."  
  
"Since when iz a cold, rainy fall day a day naht ta be wasted." Rattrap demanded, shoving Cheetor off his bed "En who invited you two inta my room!"  
  
"Rattrap." Cheetor whined  
  
"Look, I've earned dis off day jist like da rest a ya, en I'd like ta spend mine in a state a sleep so deep it's mistaken fa stasis lock!"  
  
"Aww, you're no fun!" Cheetor said  
  
Rattrap reached down and grabbed his blanket off the floor, saying "Turn da lights off when ya leave, I don' wanna know it's day time."  
  
He laid back down on his bed and pulled his blanket over him tightly, angrily. Through the blanket he heard Rhinox and Cheetor leave the room and close the door behind them.  
  
But they left the light on.  
  
He could see the light creeping through the blanket and around the edges near his feet. Rattrap groaned. He didn't want to get up to turn off the light, but he couldn't go back to sleep if it was on.  
  
So, he had a choice. Get up to turn off the light and risk losing his desire for sleep, or just lay in his bed with his optical sensor shut trying to sleep but not really sleeping.  
  
Rattrap growled and threw his blanket off. He rolled out of bed angrily and stomped over to the light switch. He was going to get Rhinox for this!  
  
As Rattrap's hand touched the switch his optical sensors caught something in the corner of his room. It was his Track Box. All his data tracks, both hot and cold, were in that box....and it was open.  
  
Panic quickly replaced Rattrap's desire for sleep as he darted to his box and looked inside. He had brought all his tracks with him, a total of thirty six data tracks, and only two of them were cold. The rest were hotter than the lava surrounding Darkside.  
  
Rattrap pulled the tracks out three at a time, counting aloud as he did.  
  
"T'ree, six, nine, twelve, fifteen, eighteen, twenty one, twenty four, twenty seven, thridy, thridy t'ree, thirdy...." Rattrap swallowed hard. He counted again, slower this time and counting each track.  
  
He was missing one.  
  
Rattrap quickly put his tracks back in his box and closed it, then proceeded to scrutinize his room for the missing track. Tearing his room apart would be a stupid thing to do, considering how his room consisted of a desk with one drawer, his bed, a chair, a lamb and the three boxes Rattrap had brought on the mission. Still, Rattrap looked everywhere, and even though he found somethings he thought he had lost there was no sign of the missing track.  
  
And it was the hottest track he had.  
  
This was the track that got several bots sent to The Pend.....and one delelted.  
  
Of course Rattrap was younger when it all happened. Younger and a touch on the naive side.  
  
He was only 29 stellar cycles old when it all happened, and it happened so quickly. A hasty meeting, questions left unanswered and data track thrust into his hands as his contact disappeared into the night. He didn't know what to make of it all. And now, some 4 stellar cycles later, after running the event over and over in his main frame, he still had no clue what happened. All he knew was he had to keep the data track out of Obsidion's hands and as far from the Maximal Elders as possible.  
  
That's all he knew.  
  
That's all he wanted to know.  
  
  
AUTHOR'S ASIDE: The Predicons are still recovering and repairing the damages done to Darkside from the energon blast at the end of "Basic Program". They managed to survive because the energon absorbed the last rays of sunlight, which aren't as powerful as noon-day sunlight or lazer blasts. 


End file.
